Preprint on Antarctic fungi

If you want to learn how fungi from the Antarctic can promote strawberry growth under drought and elevated temperatures, have a look at our latest #preprint out in @authorea:

Yañez Ortega, M.A. et al. 2024 Authorea

Synopsis:
Climate change poses a direct threat to food security, with global warming leading to detrimental droughts that affect plant development and agricultural productivity. This study focused on the symbiotic relationship between plants and microorganisms, known for their pivotal role in plant adaptation to environmental stress. Strawberry plants (Fragaria x ananassa) were inoculated with two endophytic fungi, Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium brevicompactum, isolated from Antarctic plants. Greenhouse experiments showed that inoculated plants had better water retention, photosynthesis, and reduced proline content and lipid peroxidation. Inoculation also boosted antioxidant activity and overall antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, a transcriptomics and cis element/transcription factor analysis revealed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, such as dehydrins, and genes related to cellular water homeostasis such as aquaporins. The DEGs suggested an enhanced response to water stress, providing molecular insights of the potential mechanisms involved into the improved physiological performance of inoculated plants under drought and high-temperature conditions. The study underscores the importance of these molecular responses in establishing a resilient symbiotic relationship between plants and Antarctic microorganisms, offering promising avenues for further understanding and harnessing adaptive mechanisms to mitigate the impact of climate change on crop productivity.