Phenotypic responses of barley to Akanthomyces muscarius inoculation are maintained in the offspring generation
- 1Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan
- 2Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences
Abstract
Background Plant phenotypes are influenced by interactions among genetic, environmental, and microbial factors. Entomopathogenic fungi such as Akanthomyces muscarius are widely used in biological control, but their direct effects on plant growth and reproduction, independent of pest suppression, remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of A. muscarius inoculation on the growth and reproductive parameters of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and to determine whether these effects are maintained in the offspring generation. Results In the primary generation, inoculation with A. muscarius significantly affected plant performance in a cultivar-dependent manner. In ‘Morex’, inoculated plants showed reduced height but increased aboveground biomass and reproductive parameters. In ‘Golden Promise’, inoculation increased both shoot and root biomass without affecting plant height. Even though offspring plants were not reinoculated, selected phenotypic differences associated with maternal inoculation were observed in that generation. However, no culturable A. muscarius was detected in offspring leaves or seeds under the applied culture conditions. Conclusions Akanthomyces muscarius inoculation modified growth and reproductive parameters of barley and was associated with phenotypic differences in the offspring generation under controlled conditions. The underlying mechanisms remain unresolved and may involve intergenerational plasticity or other non-genetic maternal effects.
Related
- Early Seedling Growth Responses to Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus Inoculation in Sugarcane: A Multivariate and Semi-Mechanistic Analysis
- Temporal phenotypic responses of early vegetative maize to heat, drought, and combined stresses
- A specialist pine feeder exhibits variable phenotypic responses, but predictable gene-expression changes, when exposed to a novel pine
- The Cytosolic Zinc Finger Domain Structure of the CCHFV Glycoprotein n Is Maintained in Its Membrane-Bound Form
- Agronomic Performance of Microbial Inoculation Strategies in Soybean, Maize and Wheat Across Contrasting Environments
BibTeX
@article{stawrakakis2026phenotypic,
title = {{Phenotypic responses of barley to Akanthomyces muscarius inoculation are maintained in the offspring generation}},
author = {Krzysztof Stawrakakis and Wojciech Wysoczański and Marlena Lembicz and Paweł Olejniczak},
journal = {BMC Plant Biology},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12870-026-09569-5},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-026-09569-5},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Phenotypic responses of barley to Akanthomyces muscarius inoculation are maintained in the offspring generation
AU - Krzysztof Stawrakakis
AU - Wojciech Wysoczański
AU - Marlena Lembicz
AU - Paweł Olejniczak
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - BMC Plant Biology
DO - 10.1186/s12870-026-09569-5
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-026-09569-5
AB - Background Plant phenotypes are influenced by interactions among genetic, environmental, and microbial factors. Entomopathogenic fungi such as Akanthomyces muscarius are widely used in biological control, but their direct effects on plant growth and reproduction, independent of pest suppression, remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of A. muscarius inoculation on the growth and reproductive parameters of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and to determine whether these effects are maintained in the offspring generation. Results In the primary generation, inoculation with A. muscarius significantly affected plant performance in a cultivar-dependent manner. In ‘Morex’, inoculated plants showed reduced height but increased aboveground biomass and reproductive parameters. In ‘Golden Promise’, inoculation increased both shoot and root biomass without affecting plant height. Even though offspring plants were not reinoculated, selected phenotypic differences associated with maternal inoculation were observed in that generation. However, no culturable A. muscarius was detected in offspring leaves or seeds under the applied culture conditions. Conclusions Akanthomyces muscarius inoculation modified growth and reproductive parameters of barley and was associated with phenotypic differences in the offspring generation under controlled conditions. The underlying mechanisms remain unresolved and may involve intergenerational plasticity or other non-genetic maternal effects.
SN - 1471-2229
ER -