A Systematic Review on the Effects of Epichloe Fungal Endophytes on Drought Tolerance in Cool-Season Grasses.

ABSTRACT: Symptomless fungal endophytes in the genus Epichloë are repeatedly mentioned to increase tolerance of cool-season grasses to a wide range of environmental stress factors, mainly drought. However, the generality of this idea is challenged because (i) most studies have been conducted on two economically important forage grasses {tall fescue [Festuca arundinacea (Schreb.) Dumort] and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)}, (ii) endophyte-mediated mechanisms and effects on plant responses to drought have shown to be highly variable across species, and that (iii) symbiosis incidence in plant populations occurring in extremely arid environments is usually low. We question this idea by reviewing the existing information about Epichloë fungal endophyte effects on droug

SUBMITTER: Decunta FA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8025668 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature