Seashore mallow (
Kosteletzkya virginica
), as a noninvasive perennial halophytic oilseed-producing dicot, is native from the Gulf to the Atlantic coasts of the U.S. The purpose of our research was to investigate 1-aminocyclopropane-1carboxylic acid deaminase (ACCD) producing endophytic fungi from
K.virginica
. A total of 59 endophytic fungal strains, isolated from roots in
K.virginica
of seedlings, were grouped into 12 genera including in
Penicillium, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Trichoderma, Rhizopycnis
sp.,
Ceriporia Donk, Trametes
sp.,
Schizophyllum commune
sp.,
Alternaria, Cladosporium, Cylindrocarpon
, and
Scytalidium
according to sequences of ITS. The ACD activity of 10 endophytic fungi isolated was detected.
T.asperellum
had the highest ACC deaminase activity among all 10 isolated
genera of
fungal strains, followed by
T. viride
.
Dry weight and fresh weight of plant
, plant height, root length, SOD activity, and chlorophyll content of wheat and soybean inoculated with
T.asperellum
or
T. viride
was increased compared with non-inoculated control plants under non salt or salt stress. Further analysis showed that
T.asperellum
or
T.viride
strains induced downregulation of the expression of ethylene synthesis-related genes such as ACC oxidase (ACO) and ACC synthase (ACS), thereby reducing ethylene synthesis and damage to plants under salt stress. These endophytic fungi can be used as alternative bioinoculants to increase crop yield in saline soil.