Quality control by leaf-cutting ants: evidence from communities of endophytic fungi in foraged and rejected vegetation

dc.creatorRocha, Silma L.
dc.creatorJorge, Vanessa L.
dc.creatorLucia, Terezinha M. C. Della
dc.creatorBarreto, Robert W.
dc.creatorEvans, Harry C. Evans
dc.creatorElliot, Simon L.
dc.date2018-09-03T17:21:06Z
dc.date2018-09-03T17:21:06Z
dc.date2014-09-23
dc.date.accessioned2023-09-27T20:35:22Z
dc.date.available2023-09-27T20:35:22Z
dc.identifier18728847
dc.identifierhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11829-014-9329-9
dc.identifierhttp://www.locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/21591
dc.identifier.urihttps://repositorioslatinoamericanos.uchile.cl/handle/2250/8944348
dc.descriptionLeaf-cutting ants of the genera Acromyrmex and Atta forage vegetation for incorporation into their mutualistic fungal gardens. However, the presence of certain endophytic fungi in this predominantly leaf-based material could affect the fungal garden and thus the choice of material by the ants. The present study was conducted to document the endophytic fungal communities occurring in the vegetation being transported by workers of Atta laevigata into their nests and to compare this community structure with that of the vegetative material subsequently rejected from the nests. We found considerable diversity in the fungi isolated. Acremonium, Cylindrocladium, Drechslera, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Trichoderma, Ulocladium and two unidentified morphospecies were significantly more common in rejected compared with foraged material, and some of these genera include mycoparasites, which could represent a threat to the fungal gardens. Conversely, Colletotrichum, Pestalotiopsis, Phomopsis, Xylaria and an unidentified morphospecies were more common in carried compared with rejected material. The possibility that ants have a ‘quality-control’ mechanism based on the presence of antagonistic fungal endophytes is discussed, as is the potential use of these fungi as biocontrol agents against Attini pests.
dc.formatpdf
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherArthropod-Plant Interactions
dc.relationv. 8, n. 5, p. 485– 493, out. 2014
dc.rightsSpringer Nature Switzerland AG.
dc.subjectAtta laevigata
dc.subjectAttini
dc.subjectBiological control
dc.subjectMorphospecies
dc.subjectMycoparasites
dc.subjectTrichoderma
dc.titleQuality control by leaf-cutting ants: evidence from communities of endophytic fungi in foraged and rejected vegetation
dc.typeArtigo


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