A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä
Endophytic Fungus Negatively Affects Salt Tolerance of Tall Fescue
Tekijät: Kalske Aino, Saikkonen Kari, Helander Marjo
Kustantaja: MDPI
Julkaisuvuosi: 2023
Journal: Journal of Fungi
Tietokannassa oleva lehden nimi: Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)
Lehden akronyymi: J Fungi (Basel)
Artikkelin numero: 14
Vuosikerta: 9
Numero: 1
ISSN: 2309-608X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9010014
Verkko-osoite: https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9010014
Rinnakkaistallenteen osoite: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/178518014
Vertically transmitted endophytic fungi can mitigate the negative effects of salinity encountered by their host grass and alter the competitive interactions between plant individuals. To experimentally study the interactive effects of the fungal endophyte Epichloë coenophiala on salt tolerance and intraspecific competition of its host plant, tall fescue Festuca arundinacea, we subjected 15 maternal lines of each Epichloë associated (E+) and Epichloë free (E-) tall fescue to salt treatment and competition in the greenhouse and common garden. Then, to explore variation in endophyte incidence in natural populations of tall fescue, we surveyed 23 natural populations occurring on or near the Baltic Sea coast in Aland islands in southwestern Finland for endophyte incidence, distance to shore, and competitive environment. Under salinity in the greenhouse, E- plants grew larger than E+ plants, but there was no size difference in the control treatment. E- plants grew taller and were more likely to flower than E+ plants when grown in benign conditions in the common garden but not with salinity or competition. The frequency of Epichloë incidence was high (90%) in natural populations, and it decreased towards the shore and risk of salt exposure. These results demonstrate a negative effect of Epichloë endophyte on the salt tolerance of its host. The high incidence of Epichloë in natural populations of tall fescue in the northern part of the species distribution range is likely due to factors other than salinity.
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