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Fermentation broth of endophytic fungus Mollisia sp. Su100 improved grain yield and quality of wheat by mediating metabolism in roots under saline-alkali stress

Lan Li1*, Jie Zang2*, Fa Cui3*, Changai Wu4, Zexiang Wang1, Xiaomin Bie4, Qiangbo Liu4, Lei Wang5#, Xian Sheng Zhang2, 4#, Hongyan Su1#

1 College of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China

2 State Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agricultural Sciences in Weifang, Weifang 261325, China

3 College of Horticulture, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, China

4 State Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement/College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China

5 College of Life Science, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, China

 Highlights 

A novel Mollisia endophyte fermentation broth (SFB) significantly enhances grain yield in four winter wheat cultivars under saline-alkali field conditions.

SFB synergistically improves both nutritional and processing quality of wheat grains.

SFB enhances root acquisition of key nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, under saline-alkali stress.

SFB remodels root phenylpropanoid and fatty acid metabolism pathways to alleviate saline-alkali stress.

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摘要  

生物刺激素是一类包含微生物菌剂和活性物质的生物制剂,正逐渐成为修复盐碱地的重要手段。Su100是属于Mollisia属的一种新型内生真菌,其功能尚未被充分解析。本研究发现,在盐碱地条件下,Su100发酵液(SFB处理使‘烟1212’济麦22’济麦60’航麦802’的籽粒产量分别提高了68.30%27.89%14.73%25.51%。此外,烟农1212’籽粒的营养品质和加工品质也得到显著提升,表明SFB能够协同提升小麦的产量与品质。通过进一步对根系生理与转录组分析发现SFB能通过增强根系对氮(N)和磷(P)的吸收以及重塑根系苯丙烷代谢和脂肪酸代谢缓解盐碱胁迫。本研究为认识Mollisia属真菌的功能提供了新见解,也为开发基于该属微生物的生物刺激素、推动可持续农业发展提供了理论依据。



Abstract  

Biostimulants, as a category of biological agents containing microbial inoculants and active substances, are emerging as a promising solution in the field of saline-alkali land bioremediation. Su100 is a novel endophytic fungus belonging to the genus Mollisia, whose functions have not yet been extensively deciphered. In this study, we found Su100 fermentation broth (SFB) significantly enhanced grain yield of ‘Yannong 1212’, ‘Jimai 22’, ‘Jimai 60’, and ‘Hangmai 802’ by 68.30, 27.89, 14.73, and 25.51%, respectively. Moreover, the nutritional quality and processing quality in the grains of 'Yannong 1212' were also significantly improved, indicating that SFB could synergistically enhance both the yield and quality of wheat. Further physiological and transcriptomic analysis of root suggested that SFB mitigates saline-alkali stress by enhancing N and P uptake and remodeling phenylpropanoid and fatty acid metabolism. Our study elucidates the function of Mollisia fungi and supports the development of microbial-based biostimulants for sustainable agriculture.

 

Keywords:  endophytic fungus       yield              quality              metabolism              saline-alkali soil              wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)  
Online: 11 June 2026  
Fund: 

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFD1201700), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32171810), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China (ZR2024MC150; ZR2022QC068), the Linyi Key Research and Development Project, China (2025PT012), and the opening project of National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, China (WIKF202406).

About author:  #Correspondence Lei Wang, E-mail: wanglei9909@163.com; Xian Sheng Zhang, E-mail: zhangxs@sdau.edu.cn; Hongyan Su, E-mail: suhongyan66@126.com *The three authors contributed equally to this work.

Cite this article: 

Lan Li, Jie Zang, Fa Cui, Changai Wu, Zexiang Wang, Xiaomin Bie, Qiangbo Liu, Lei Wang, Xian Sheng Zhang, Hongyan Su. 2026. Fermentation broth of endophytic fungus Mollisia sp. Su100 improved grain yield and quality of wheat by mediating metabolism in roots under saline-alkali stress. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Doi:10.1016/j.jia.2026.06.024

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