XVI International Botanical Congess

Non mycorrhizal root endophytes (NMRE) are a heterogeneous group of fungi including sterile or anamorphic hyphomycetes. Being reported from over 600 plant species in ca 100 families and over 300 genera, they seem ubiquitous and globally distributed. Although NMRE are frequently isolated from soil and roots of ecto-, endo-, or non-mycorrhizal hosts, their relation to meiotic fungi and function are poorly understood. Functionally and ecologically, NMRE overlap with soil fungi, saprotrophic rhizoplane-inhabiting fungi, strictly pathogenic fungi and mycorrhizal fungi. I use one form species, Phialocephala fortinii, as an example. Host response to its colozation varies from negative to positive in its effects depending on the conditions of the study. The results various studies on NMRE appear inconsistent, mainly due to the uncertain taxonomic affinities of the strains used. Similarly, different strains of a single mitotic taxon seem to vary greatly. As a result, no clear general conclusions of their ecological role can be drawn.