Effects of Epichlo endophytes of Achnatherum sibiricum on spore germination of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Endophytic fungi and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are important components of grassland ecosystem. Endophytes can reduce colonization rates of their host plants by AM fungi. In this study, Achnatherum sibiricum, infected by Epichlo sibiricum (Es) or E.

[Effects of methyl jasmonate treatments and endophyte infection on growth of Achnatherum sibiricum].

We used Achnatherum sibiricum, a native grass as test material and application of methyl jasmonate (MJ) to simulate herbivory, and compared the growth and physiological characters of endophyte-infected (EI) and endophyte-free (EF) plants. The results showed that MJ treatment significantly decreased the shoot growth, but significantly increased the concentrations of defensive substances such as total phenolic and lignin, and decreased the size of aphid population. Endophyte infection significantly increased the tiller number, total phenolic and lignin contents in the shoot.

Diversity and taxonomy of endophytes from Leymus chinensis in the Inner Mongolia steppe of China.

Epichloë species and their anamorphic relatives in genus Neotyphodium are fungal symbionts of grasses ubiquitously existing in temperate regions all over the world. To date, 13 Epichloë species and 22 Neotyphodium species have been formally described, based on morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses. Leymus chinensis (Poaceae) is a dominant grass native to the Inner Mongolia steppe of China.

Taxonomy, diversity and origins of symbiotic endophytes of Achnatherum sibiricum in the Inner Mongolia Steppe of China.

We sampled five Achnatherum sibiricum populations and documented the distribution and abundance of endophytes. In total, 438 fungal isolates were obtained. They were classified into 11 morphotypes based on growth rate and morphological characters including colonial morphology, the production of conidiogenous cells, conidial size and dimension on potato dextrose agar medium.

Influence of nitrogen fertilizer and endophyte infection on ecophysiological parameters and mineral element content of perennial ryegrass.

An experiment was designed to determine the effect of the fungal endophyte Neotyphodium lolii on the growth, physiological parameters and mineral element content of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perennel L.), when growing at two N supply levels. Endophyte infection had a significant positive effect on both shoot and root growth of ryegrass, but this difference was only significant in the high N supply treatment.

Genetic diversity and population differentiation of the dominant species Stipa krylovii in the Inner Mongolia Steppe.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA was used to assess the level of genetic diversity and genetic structure of Stipa krylovii (Gramineae), an important dominant species in the northern grasslands of China. Genetic diversity was low within S. krylovii populations, and diversity at the population level was associated with precipitation and cumulative temperature variations.