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Amino Acid Composition of Tall Fescue Seed Produced from Fungal Endophyte ( Acremonium coenophialum )‐Free and Infected Plants 1
Author(s) -
Belesky D. P.,
Evans J. J.,
Wilkinson S. R.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1985.00021962007700050030x
Subject(s) - endophyte , acremonium , biology , festuca arundinacea , poaceae , botany , germination , amino acid , gibberellic acid , agronomy , biochemistry
The presence of a fungal endophyte ( Acremonium coenophialum Morgan‐Jones and Gams) in tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Shreb.) has been associated with the production of nitrogenous secondary metabolites such as the pyrrolizidine alkaloids. The increased production of secondary metabolites may alter the N balance of the plant affecting the types and amounts of nitrogenous products available for export to developing seed. An investigation was conducted to determine the impact of fungal endophyte status on the amino acid composition of tall fescue seed. New (viable endophyte) and old (stored for at least 2 yr, nonviable endophyte) seed of ‘Kenhy’, ‘KY‐31’, an experimental line “EXP” and ‘Fawn’ were sown in a randomized block design. New seed of Fawn failed to germinate. Seed sown, vegetative tissue, and seed produced were assayed for fungal endophyte status. Endophyte levels in vegetative tissue and seed produced from plants established from old seed were low in fungal endophyte (<20%). Qualitative evaluation of seed amino composition (grams amino acid per 100 grams amino acid recovered) did not reveal any significant alterations in amino acid composition, which could be attributable to fungal endophyte status of the parent plant.