Diversity of epifoliar pigmented fungi on Rhododendron
Z_Myk_2010-05
From 10/2008 to 10/2012Principal Investigator: Gerhard Rambold
Staff: Fabienne Flessa
In their study on Rhododendron ferrugineum, Flessa and Rambold explored the composition and development of sooty mold fungal communities on leaves of different ages. They observed that the structure and abundance of these fungi differed significantly between young and older leaves. One key factor influencing this variation appeared to be the presence of glandular leaf secretions, particularly on younger foliage, which may provide specific substrates that shape the microbial communities on the leaf surface. Their findings suggest that such plant-derived compounds contribute to the establishment and differentiation of sooty mold assemblages. This research enhances our understanding of the ecological dynamics between host plants and surface-colonizing fungi and points to the importance of plant physiology in determining fungal community structure.
List of publications of this Project
| Flessa, F; Rambold, G: Diversity of the Capnocheirides rhododendri-dominated fungal community in the phyllosphere of Rhododendron ferrugineum L., Nova Hedwigia, 97(1–2), 19–53 (2013), doi:10.1127/0029-5035/2013/0110 -- Details |