The effect of endophyte infection on persistence of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) populations in two climatically contrasting Italian locations

Pecetti, L.; Romani, Massimo; Carroni, Antonio Melchiorre; Annicchiarico, Paolo; Piano, E.

doi:10.1071/ar06423

Cited by 21 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The same trend was reported for Australian perennial ryegrass varieties by Waller & Sale (2001), who stated that early flowering is important, when the growing season is short, to avoid the deleterious effects of moisture stress on plant survival with the onset of the dry season. The same relationship between persistence and flowering time was also observed for other perennial grasses such as tall fescue (Piano et al, 2005;Pecetti et al, 2007) and cocksfoot (Volaire & Lelièvre, 1997;Shaimi et al, 2009). Canopy temperature at complete flowering was not correlated with persistence and spike emergence date.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Characterization of native perennial ryegrasses for persistence in mediterranean rainfed conditions

Sanna

Franca

Porqueddu

et al. 2014

Span. j. agric. res.

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Forage varieties of Lolium perenne L. (perennial ryegrass) available on the seed market generally show low persistence in rainfed Mediterranean conditions. Eleven native populations of perennial ryegrass from Corsica and Sardinia, previously chosen for their ability to re-grow after summer drought, were grown in a 3-year field experiment in Sardinia (Italy). The objective was to characterize these populations for traits linked with persistence in rainfed conditions under low input management. Their differentiation and stability over time were assessed for some morphological traits (tiller, spike and flag leaf length, number of spikelets spike-1, spikelet and glume length). In addition, some agronomic traits (canopy height, dry matter and seed yield, spike emergence date) and physiological traits (canopy temperature and leaf area index) were observed to identify, using a multivariate approach, correlations with persistence. A significant variability between accessions was observed for all the morphological traits over the three years of observation; a significant Accession × Year interaction was found for tiller length, flag leaf length and number of spikelet/spike with a plastic adaptation to weather conditions of some populations, these traits being the most important contributors to persistence. The most persistent perennial ryegrass accession proved to be the most vigorous and early flowering one. Some contrasting accessions represent valuable resources to be exploited into breeding programs based on Mediterranean germplasm, in order to provide farmers with perennial ryegrass varieties adapted for different purposes and which are able to survive to more frequent hot and dry summer conditions in a context of climate change.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Characterization of native perennial ryegrasses for persistence in mediterranean rainfed conditions

Sanna

Franca

Porqueddu

et al. 2014

Span. j. agric. res.

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“…Previous studies of endophytes from tall fescue populations have relied heavily on phenotypic data such as conidium length, isozyme analyses, and alkaloid production to classify individual isolates as N. coenophialum or FaTG-2 or -3 (Festuca arundinaceum endophyte taxonomic groups 2 and 3, respectively) (12,14,31,41,42). In this study, we combined phylogenetic analyses of housekeeping genes tubB and tefA with a PCR-based alkaloid gene profiling approach and chemical analyses to comprehensively characterize five distinct endophyte morphotypes from a representative tall fescue collection from Greece.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All FaTG-2 isolates thus far described produce ergovaline, but they are variable in the production of lolitrem B and peramine (12,31,42). However, no published studies have investigated the genetic diversity of these endophytes to understand the basis of this chemotype variation (41,42).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Genotypic and Chemotypic Diversity of Neotyphodium Endophytes in Tall Fescue from Greece

Takach

Mittal

Swoboda

et al. 2012

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Epichloid endophytes provide protection from a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses for cool-season grasses, including tall fescue. A collection of 85 tall fescue lines from 15 locations in Greece, including both Continental and Mediterranean germplasm, was screened for the presence of native endophytes. A total of 37 endophyte-infected lines from 10 locations were identified, and the endophytes were classified into five distinct groups (G1 to G5) based on physical characteristics such as colony morphology, growth rate, and conidial morphology. These classifications were supported by phylogenetic analyses of housekeeping genes tefA and tubB, and the endophytes were further categorized as Neotyphodium coenophialum isolates (G1, G4, and G5) or Neotyphodium sp. FaTG-2 (Festuca arundinacea taxonomic group 2 isolates (G2 and G3). Analyses of the tall fescue matK chloroplast genes indicated a population-wide, host-specific association between N. coenophialum and Continental tall fescue and between FaTG-2 and Mediterranean tall fescue that was also reflected by differences in colonization of host tillers by the native endophytes. Genotypic analyses of alkaloid gene loci combined with chemotypic (chemical phenotype) profiles provided insight into the genetic basis of chemotype diversity. Variation in alkaloid gene content, specifically the presence and absence of genes, and copy number of gene clusters explained the alkaloid diversity observed in the endophyte-infected tall fescue, with one exception. The results from this study provide insight into endophyte germplasm diversity present in living tall fescue populations.

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“…The infection frequency of native accessions of summer-dormant tall fescue is usually high (Clement et al 2001;Piano et al 2005;Pecetti et al 2007), suggesting an important ecological role similar to that in continental tall fescue ecotypes. In fact, some of the benefits of endophyte infection are similar for both fescue types, i.e.…”

Section: Drought Tolerance-the Role Of Endophytesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant drought survival under climate change and strategies to improve perennial grasses. A review

Norton¹,

Malinowski²,

Volaire

2016

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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The three cool-season perennial forage grasses cocksfoot/orchardgrass, Dactylis glomerata L., tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb. syn. Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh., and phalaris/harding grass, Phalaris aquatica L., are of major economic and ecological importance in regions with summer-dry environments. This review considers the constraints that these species are likely to experience under current and predicted increase of droughts due to climate change scenarios in south-eastern Australia, the southern Great Plains of USA and the Western Mediterranean Basin. The review identifies research required to maximise the development and use of C3 cool-season grasses with enhanced resilience to drought while considering the concern of some regulators that these grasses may be potential weeds. The state of knowledge of factors influencing plant drought survival and therefore recovery after stress and long-term persistence is discussed in the light of adaptive strategies. The major research needs identified to enhance traits conferring drought survival include (1) increasing the depth and density of grass root systems to strengthen dehydration avoidance; (2) exploring the biochemical, molecular and hydraulic bases of dehydration tolerance and improving techniques to measure this trait; (3) breaking the trade-off between summer dormancy and forage yield potential and improving understanding of environmental, biochemical and genetic controls over summer dormancy; (4) identifying non-toxic endophyte strains compatible with summer-dormant cultivars of tall fescue to enhance drought survival; and (5) enhancing seed production capability of new cultivars as well as the development of agronomic management packages for promoting stable mixtures combining perennial grasses and legumes. The weed potential of newly introduced summer-dormant cultivars is concluded to be minor. The research directions proposed here should improve pasture grass resilience and forage crop sustainability in Mediterranean and temperate summer-dry environments under the future drier and warmer conditions associated with climate change.

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The effect of endophyte infection on persistence of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) populations in two climatically contrasting Italian locations

Cited by 21 publications

References 21 publications

Characterization of native perennial ryegrasses for persistence in mediterranean rainfed conditions

Characterization of native perennial ryegrasses for persistence in mediterranean rainfed conditions

Genotypic and Chemotypic Diversity of Neotyphodium Endophytes in Tall Fescue from Greece

Plant drought survival under climate change and strategies to improve perennial grasses. A review

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