Publication Date

1997

Description

Several classes of alkaloids are present in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and the tall fescue-endophyte (Neotyphodium [=Acremonium] coenophialum [Morgan-Jones and Gams] Glenn, Bacon and Hanlin comb.nov.) association. Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of the endophyte on seed germination and seedling growth and to measure the effect of host perloline concentration on endophyte development and loline accumulation. Seed germination was not altered by the presence of the endophyte. In non-stress field conditions of Ireland emergence of first leaf occurred sooner and dry weight was greater in endophyte infected seedlings than endophyte free seedlings, whereas no significant differences were observed for days to emergence, tiller number, shoot length or number of leaves between the endophyte treatments. The numbers of mycelial strands in leaf sheaths were positively associated with loline accumulation, but perloline content had no effect on the number of mycelial strands in leaf sheaths or on loline accumulation.

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Interaction of Symbiont Alkaloid Accumulation and Growth

Several classes of alkaloids are present in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and the tall fescue-endophyte (Neotyphodium [=Acremonium] coenophialum [Morgan-Jones and Gams] Glenn, Bacon and Hanlin comb.nov.) association. Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of the endophyte on seed germination and seedling growth and to measure the effect of host perloline concentration on endophyte development and loline accumulation. Seed germination was not altered by the presence of the endophyte. In non-stress field conditions of Ireland emergence of first leaf occurred sooner and dry weight was greater in endophyte infected seedlings than endophyte free seedlings, whereas no significant differences were observed for days to emergence, tiller number, shoot length or number of leaves between the endophyte treatments. The numbers of mycelial strands in leaf sheaths were positively associated with loline accumulation, but perloline content had no effect on the number of mycelial strands in leaf sheaths or on loline accumulation.