Fig 1. High levels of fungal colonization of the xylem fibers and rays were associated with starch depletion, especially at 2.0 MPI.
(A) Xylem fibers of NIW plants contained starch (pink granules) and no hyphae, whereas those of IW plants (B) were devoid of starch, hence the drastic difference in stain absorption, and instead contained the darkly-pigmented hyphae of N. parvum (Bar, 25 μm). Starch content was quantified from I2/KI—stained sections at 0 cm (binary images shown here) for (C) NINW, (D) IW-0.5 MPI, (E) NIW-0.5 MPI, (F) IW-2.0 MPI, and (G) NIW-2.0 MPI. (C-G) Starch-filled fibers and rays are black; starch-deficient cells are white. Bar, 1 mm.