Fungal endophyte genetic data (ITS) from wild Vicia species in calcareous iron mine sites and adjacent non-calcareous sites located around Zhenjiang, China.

This project involves studying the fungal endophyte diversity in Vicia species inhabiting multiple calcareous iron mine sites and adjacent sites. In late spring 2022 (May and June), <i>Vicia</i> species were collected from four adjacent site pairs (calcareous mines and non-mine sites) located around Zhenjiang, China. Details on sites and soil conditions were reported previously (Liu et al. 2022, <i>Diversity, </i>14, 986). Sites within pairs are located several kilometers away from each other. In addition, <i>Vicia</i> species were sampled from<i> </i>two local parks (‘Beigushan’ and parkland along a riverside, i.e., ‘Riverside’). The calcareous mine sites are abandoned iron mining areas characterized by relatively high calcium and iron levels, and elevated pH (around 8). The non-mine sites have intermediate iron and calcium levels, while the two parks have relatively low levels of calcium and iron.At each site, entire plants including all aboveground and belowground parts were collected (10 individuals of the common species, <i>V. sativa </i>and <i>V. hirsuta</i>,<i> </i>were collected at all sites). Where <i>V. tetrasperma </i>or<i> V. cracca</i> were present, up to five plants were collected from each site. For <i>V. cracca,</i> five plants were collected from each of the Majishan and Xianglushan non-mine areas, and five were collected from the Majishan mine site. Only a single individual was found at the Longwangshan mine site. <i>Vicia tetrasperma </i>was present at all sites except for the Longwangshan non-mine site. However, we found only a single individual at the Longwangshan mine.This data was generated from Sanger sequencing of the fungal cultures (700-1000 cultures), and was conducted by Tsingke company based in Wuhan.This project was funded by Jiangsu Province, China as part of the ‘SC' talent program.