# The Influence of Piriformospora indica Colonization on the Root Development and Growth of Cerasus humilis Cuttings

## TL;DR

This study shows that the fungus Piriformospora indica significantly boosts root development and plant growth in Cerasus humilis cuttings.

## Contribution

The study is the first to report the effects of P. indica on Cerasus humilis and its high colonization rates across varieties.

## Key findings

- P. indica colonized 11 C. humilis varieties with rates between 90% and 100%.
- Colonization increased biomass, root activity, and chlorophyll content in C. humilis cuttings.
- IAA levels increased while JA and ACC levels decreased after P. indica colonization.

## Abstract

Numerous studies have shown that the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica has a broad range of promoting effects on root development and plant growth in host plants. However, there are currently no reports on the application of this fungus on Cerasus humilis. This study first compared the colonization ability of P. indica on 11 C. humilis varieties and found that the colonization rate of this fungus on these varieties ranged from 90% to 100%, with the colonization rate of the varieties ‘09-01’ and ‘Nongda 7’ being as high as 100%. Subsequently, the effect of P. indica on root development and plant growth of C. humilis was investigated using cuttings of ‘09-01’ and ‘Nongda 7’ as materials. P. indica colonization was found to increase the biomass of ‘09-01’ and ‘Nongda 7’ plants; root activity, POD enzymes, and chlorophyll content were also significantly increased. In addition, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content in the roots of C. humilis plants increased after colonization, while jasmonic acid (JA) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-car- boxylic acid (ACC) content decreased. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that P. indica can promote the growth of C. humilis plants by accelerating biomass accumulation, promoting rooting, and enhancing the production of photosynthetic pigments, as well as regulating hormone synthesis.