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. gansuensis (Eg), was adopted as experimental material. The effect of Epichlo endophyte culture filtrate, root exudates and aqueous extracts from the leaves (including fresh and dead leaves) on the spore germination rates of AM fungi (Glomus mosseae and Glomus etunicatum) were evaluated. The results showed that culture filtration of Epichlo endophyte significantly inhibited the germination rate of AM fungi spores. Root exudates of infected plants only significantly inhibited the germination of G. etunicatum spores, and such effect was not related to the endophytic species. The leaf aqueous extracts had no significant effect on the germination rate of G. mosseae spores. Only the aqueous extract of Es-infected dead leaves significantly reduced the spore germination rate of G. etunicatum. In natural ecosystem, Epichlo endophytes are normally internally hosted in plants, which may affect the spore germination of AM fungi by affecting the root exudates of the host plants.