Abstract Detail

Symbioses: Plant, Animal, and Microbe Interactions

Bernardin, Jessica [1], Guerra, Trina [1], Rodriguez, David [1], Hahn, Dittmar [1], Lemke, David [1].

Investigations of the mycoflora inhabiting the bark of Juniperus ashei (Cupressaceae) in central Texas.

Juniperus ashei (Cupressaceae) is a common evergreen tree in central Texas with a range extending from Arkansas to northern Mexico. A notable feature of these trees are conspicuous white patches that occur on the bark of the trunk and branches that have been identified as a parasitic fungus, Robergea albicedrae. This fungus, along with others that inhabit the bark of Ashe juniper, remains understudied and ambiguous in terms of the overall mycoflora occurring on juniper bark. This study is the first attempt to document the complete mycoflora of J. ashei bark in central Texas. Samples of bark were excised from the trunk, branches, and twigs of J. ashei in San Marcos, Texas. Samples were washed under a turbulent flow of distilled water for 24 hours before being plated on varying concentrations of malt extract agar and bark extract agar. Cultures were incubated at 37° C and fungal colonies were re-plated until pure cultures were obtained. DNA from each pure culture was extracted and sequenced using cycle sequencing. Preliminary results demonstrate that the mycoflora on J. ashei bark is more diverse than anticipated. Culturing techniques used in this study were successful in eliminating contamination and simulating nutrients needed for fungal growth on bark. During attempts to culture Robergea albicedrae, a wide variety of other fungi were encountered and sequenced, providing a new perspective on the diversity of fungal species contributing to the mycoflora on J. ashei bark. We are presently building a sequence library of the common mycofloral constituents present on J. ashei bark that will be useful for future studies.

1 - TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY, BIOLOGY, 601 University Dr, San Marcos, TX, 78666, United States

Keywords:
juniper
fungi
Lichens
Robergea.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Symbioses: Plant, Animal, and Microbe Interactions Posters
Location: Arizona Ballroom/Starr Pass
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2019
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 5:30 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PSM005
Abstract ID:516
Candidate for Awards:None