and fungal endophyte associations: host status for and nematotoxic plant extracts.

hybrids are forage grasses used worldwide in temperate climates. They are associated with the fungal endophyte , which aids in nutrient uptake, drought tolerance, and production of metabolites that protect against parasites and herbivores. produces loline alkaloids, which can deter insect pests. has not been widely studied for susceptibility to plant-parasitic nematodes, so lines, with and without fungal endophytes, were tested in the greenhouse for host status to the root-knot nematode . All were poor hosts, regardless of line or endophyte status. Pepper seedlings planted into soil following removal of the plants were infected by nematodes, likely because of surviving nematodes from the original inoculation combined with some reproduction on . Lolines were found in shoots and roots of all endophyte-associated lines, and some types of lolines in roots increased after nematode infection. Methanolic extracts from roots and shoots of a tested line did not inhibit egg hatch, but killed nearly a third of second-stage juveniles whether an endophyte was present or not. Further studies would indicate whether these lines aid in suppressing field populations of . hybrids are forage grasses used worldwide in temperate climates. They are associated with the fungal endophyte , which aids in nutrient uptake, drought tolerance, and production of metabolites that protect against parasites and herbivores. produces loline alkaloids, which can deter insect pests. has not been widely studied for susceptibility to plant-parasitic nematodes, so lines, with and without fungal endophytes, were tested in the greenhouse for host status to the root-knot nematode . All were poor hosts, regardless of line or endophyte status. Pepper seedlings planted into soil following removal of the plants were infected by nematodes, likely because of surviving nematodes from the original inoculation combined with some reproduction on . Lolines were found in shoots and roots of all endophyte-associated lines, and some types of lolines in roots increased after nematode infection. Methanolic extracts from roots and shoots of a tested line did not inhibit egg hatch, but killed nearly a third of second-stage juveniles whether an endophyte was present or not. Further studies would indicate whether these lines aid in suppressing field populations of .