Identification of Fungus GZ in Buckwheat Rhizosphere and Its Promoting Effect in Buckwheat Seed Germination

To obtain fungal strains that enhance plant growth in the rhizosphere soil of buckwheat, we utilized morphological and molecular biological methods to identify 10 fungal strains from the rhizosphere soil and subsequently evaluated their effects on seed germination. The results demonstrated that all 10 fungal strains were classified as Isaria cateniannulata. The spores of these strains significantly enhanced the germination of buckwheat seeds, with germination rates improving by 3.46% to 700.75% compared to the control group. This study fills the gap in understanding I. cateniannulata as soil rhizosphere fungi, providing a foundation and materials for the seed coating technology of buckwheat seeds.