English
Agricultural potential of freshwater fungi: Antagonistic properties, enzyme activities and plant growth promotion
Yunjeong Heo, Hye Yeon Mun, Yoosun Oh, Gil Han, Sanghee Lee, Jeong Tae Kim, Chang Soo Lee and Wonsu Cheon*
Fungi Research Division, Biological Resources Research Department, Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Republic of Korea
*Email: cws24@nnibr.re.kr
Freshwater is a diverse and complex environment that harbors a wide range of fungal communities associated with plant litter, soil, aquatic insects, and aquatic plants. These fungi play essential roles by decomposing organic matter, regulating nutrient and carbon cycles, and producing bioactive secondary metabolites. However, compared with terrestrial fungi, freshwater fungi remain underexplored, and their physiological traits, ecological functions, and potential applications are still poorly understood. Systematic studies on their biodiversity and agricultural relevance are particularly limited. In this study, Talaromyces pratensis, Mucor bainieri, Aspergillus floccosus, Trichoderma longibrachiatum, and T. capillare were isolated from freshwater environments in Korea. The isolates were identified through morphological and molecular analyses, and their functional characteristics were comprehensively evaluated. Antifungal activity was evaluated against major plant pathogens, while plant growth promotion was assessed through phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, enzyme assays, and seedling assay. This study reports T. pratensis and M. bainieri for the first time in Korea and provides morphological descriptions that expand the knowledge of freshwater fungal diversity. Moreover, the functional analyses demonstrate their strong biocontrol potential against plant pathogens and their ability to enhance plant growth. These findings highlight freshwater fungi as promising resources for sustainable crop production and suggest that further exploration of aquatic fungal communities could contribute to the development of eco-friendly strategies in agriculture.
