Endophytic fungi (Neotyphodium coenophialum) affect the growth and mineral uptake, transport and efficiency ratios in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea)

Abstract

Neotyphodium coenophialum interacts mutualistically with its host grasses. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plants infected by the fungal endophyte, Neotyphodium coenophialum (Morgan-Jones and Gams) Glenn, Bacon and Hanlin, often perform better than non-infected plants, especially in limited resource environments. However, there is a scarcity of information about endophyte-grass ecotypes interaction in Andisols of temperate regions. Clones of three tall fescue ecotypes (Fukaura, Koiwai and Showa) either infected with N. coenophialum (E+) or noninfected (E)) were grown in Andisols (Black Andisol: naturally low content of phosphorus, high in other nutrients; Red Andisol: naturally high content of phosphorus, low in other nutrients) for 133 days in a controlled environment. Cumulative shoot dry weight, daily regrowth rates (tiller number, plant height and shoot dry matter) after clippings and nutrient uptake, transport and efficiency ratios were measured. In Black Andisol, E+ plants had significantly higher cumulative shoot dry weight as well as daily regrowth rates than E) plants, while in Red Andisol the reverse was true. Among the ecotypes studied, Showa had the highest shoot growth. Significantly higher phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) uptake as well as transport were identified in E+ vs. E) plants grown in Black Andisol. With few exceptions, values for nutrient efficiency ratios were not significantly different between E+ and E) plants grown in both soils. Significant three-way interaction (endophyte · ecotype · soil) for cumulative shoot dry weight and regrowth rate revealed that the ecotype specific regrowth responses to endophyte infection were depended on soil nutrient conditions. Vegetative growth and nutrient acquisition in tall fescue varied with ecotype and were modified by abiotic (soil fertility status) as well as biotic (endophyte infection) factors.

Mg and K effects on cation uptake and dry matter accumulation in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea)

“…In other studies, HiMag provided about 20% more leaf Mg than its parents, KY31 and MO96, on both acidic Typic Hapludults in Georgia (Wilkinson and Mayland 1997) and a calcareous Durinodic Xeric Haplocalcid soil in Idaho (Mayland and Sleper 1993). Different ecotypes of tall fescue in Japan produced different K, Ca, and Mg transport efficiencies (Rahman and Saiga 2005).…”

Soil organic carbon fractions differ in two contrasting tall fescue systems

“…Tall fescue is an important cool-season perennial forage grass commonly used for turf and soil conservation around the world (Rahman and Saiga 2005;Spyreas et al 2001;Stuedemann and Hoveland 1988). It covers a significant area of the eastern USA, and is increasingly prevalent in Africa, Australia, China, New Zealand, and South America, (Rudgers and Clay 2007).…”

“…Endophyte existence in grass populations varies between species and genotypes (Schulthess and Faeth 1998) and between natural and agricultural grass populations (Faeth 2002). Endophyte infected tall fescue often has higher productivity than noninfected plants, especially in drought environments (Rahman and Saiga 2005). Malinowski and Belesky (2000) reported that host plants have better persistence and increased tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses because of the association between plants and the endophyte.…”

Effect of Neotyphodium endophyte-tall fescue symbiosis on mineralogical changes in clay-sized phlogopite and muscovite

“…Enhanced root surface area and root exudate activity were introduced as two responsible mechanisms of P deficiency tolerance in endophyte-infected tall fescue (Malinowski et al 1998a(Malinowski et al , 1999. Rahman and Saiga (2005) documented vegetative growth and nutrient acquisition in tall fescue varying with ecotype and modified by abiotic (soil fertility status) as well as biotic (endophyte infection) factors.…”