Transmission of the Wheat Endomycobiome: Intergenerational Inheritance and External Recruitment

Understanding the mechanisms of endophytic fungal transmission is crucial for deciphering plant-microbe interactions and leveraging microbiomes in crop improvement. In this study, we examined the potential for intergenerational inheritance and external recruitment of endophytic fungi in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Fungal community structure was analysed in Generation 1 (G1) plants using ITS2 metabarcoding and culture-based identification across four tissue types (roots, stems, leaves, and seeds) in ten cultivars. The results were compared with previously published data from the parental Generation 0 (G0) to assess patterns of transmission. A set of 27 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) was consistently detected in both generations, suggesting the presence of a core mycobiome dominated by genera such as Fusarium, Trichoderma, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Sarocladium and Lecanicillium. Experimental re-inoculation of axenic wheat seedlings confirmed that selected isolates (F. proliferatum, P. expansum, T. hamatum) were capable of recolonising host tissues, supporting their role in stable plant association. In contrast, several taxa detected only in G0 failed to recolonise axenic plants, implying transient colonisation through horizontal pathways. These findings highlight the dual contribution of vertical inheritance and environmental recruitment in shaping the wheat endomycobiome, offering a foundation for targeted manipulation of beneficial fungi in cereal crops.