Occurrence of endophytes in grasses native to northern China

Abstract

A survey of grass species associated with Neotyphodium and Epichloë fungal endophytes was made in the permanent grasslands of northern China. A total of 41 grass species, 56 sites and 172 local populations were examined to reveal endophytic infection of native grasses. Twenty-five of the forty-one species of grasses (proportionately 0AE61) were infected by endophytes: twenty-two species had a mean infection rate of 0AE01-0AE50 and only three species had a mean infection >0AE50. Of the 172 local populations examined, however, proportionately 0AE72 were not infected, 0AE181 had an infection rate of 0AE01-0AE50 and 0AE099 had an infection rate of 0AE51-1AE00. Two genera of grasses, Cleistogenes and Koeleria, as well as twenty plant species, were previously unknown endophytic hosts in China. High infection rates (0AE86-1AE00) of plants of Achnatherum sibiricum were detected at all eleven sites studied. Other grasses in which high infection rates were found were Agropyron mongolicum, Roegneria turczaninovii, Agropyron elongate, Poa palustris and Poa angustifolia. It was concluded that endophytes are found widely in natural grass populations and that endophyte-grass interactions may have effects on ecosystems and livestock in the grasslands of northern China.

Benefits of a symbiotic association with endophytic fungi are subject to water and nutrient availability in Achnatherum sibiricum

“…It is usually a companion species in the grassland and sometimes can become a dominant species. High incidences of Neotyphodium endophyte infection (86-100%) in A. sibiricum were recorded in seven native populations in our previous study (Wei et al 2006). In this study, seeds of A. sibiricum were collected from natural populations in Hailar in Northeast China (119.67°E, 49.10°N).…”

“…After 5 years of continuous survey, Wei et al (2006) found that A. sibiricum is highly infected by Neotyphodium fungi, and there is little difference in infection rates among different geographic populations. Within the genus Achnatherum, there are five sections.…”

“…In our previous survey in the permanent grasslands of northern China, 25 of 41 species of grasses surveyed (61%) were infected by Neotyphodium endophytes (Wei et al 2006). However, little is known about the potential for improvement of drought resistance in wild grass populations, especially when nutrient availability is considered.…”

Pathogen resistant advantage of endophyte-infected over endophyte-free Leymus chinensis is strengthened by pre-drought treatment

“…The endophyte in L. chinensis was first reported in Wei et al (2006), and was identified as Epichloë bromicola . E+ and E-grasses used in this research were originally collected from Abaga Banner of Inner Mongolia in 2010 and multiplied and selected for uniformity in 2011 and 2012.…”

Occurrence of Epichloë fungal endophytes in the sheep-preferred grass Hordeum comosum from Patagonia

“…The knowledge about these associations in arid environments is mostly restricted to reports of their natural occurrence and incidence in the populations (Wei et al, 2006;Rudgers et al, 2009;Iannone, 2010). However, very few studies have established the way in which the symbiosis outcome is regulated by genetic factors and ecological conditions (Novas et al, 2007;Wilson, 2007;Sullivan and Faeth, 2008;Iannone et al, 2013;Afkhami et al, 2014, Semmartín et al, 2014.…”