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Abstract
Background: The plant–microbe interaction between tall fescue and its endophyte Epichloë coenophiala can affect ecosystem responses to changing rainfall patterns and increasing temperatures. Endophyte-infected (E+) stands often exhibit improved stress tolerance and differing soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to endophyte-free (E−) stands. However, it is unknown if mammalian nontoxic endophyte (NTE) strains introduced into some tall fescue cultivars confer differing stress tolerances or reduce soil GHG emissions.
Methods: We quantified the impact of fescue-NTE symbioses in Jesup and Texoma on biomass and GHG emissions in response to increased temperature (+3°C) and altered precipitation (50% lengthened interval between events) using a factorial design in the United States southeastern transition zone over 2 consecutive years (2016–2017).
Results: Endophyte infection increased aboveground biomass 24% across years, whereas heat decreased aboveground biomass 17% across tall fescue cultivars and years. Endophyte infection reduced CO2 emissions under both ambient (for Jesup) and heated conditions (for Texoma), but endophyte infection also increased NH3 volatilization for Texoma (no effect for Jesup), especially under the hottest and driest treatment.
Conclusion: Fescue-NTE symbioses may improve pasture resiliency with projected climate change for the study region.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2026
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.70042
Repository Citation
McGrail, Rebecca Kay; Moore, Jonathan D.; Carlisle, A. Elizabeth; Nelson, Jim A.; and McCulley, Rebecca L., "Climate change effects on biomass and greenhouse gas emissions are ameliorated by nontoxic endophytes in southeastern USA transition zone tall fescue pastures" (2026). Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications. 185.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_facpub/185
Notes/Citation Information
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‐NonCommercial‐NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non‐commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. © 2026 The Author(s). Grassland Research published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Chinese Grassland Society and Lanzhou University.