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Variation in Genetic Markers and Ergovaline Production in Endophyte (Neotyphodium) ‐Infected Fescue Species Collected in Italy, Spain, and Denmark
Author(s) -
Jensen Anne Mette Dahl,
Mikkelsen Lisbeth,
Roulund Niels
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci2005.10.0352
Subject(s) - neotyphodium , biology , festuca arundinacea , festuca rubra , festuca , endophyte , festuca pratensis , epichloë , botany , genetic diversity , genetic variation , poaceae , population , genetics , lolium perenne , demography , symbiosis , sociology , bacteria , gene
Festuca populations ( Festuca arundinacea , Festuca pratensis , and Festuca rubra ) from Italy, Spain, and Denmark were investigated for Neotyphodium infection, ergovaline production, and 14 microsatellite markers. Endophytes were detected in 57, 54, and 100% of the locations surveyed in Italy, Spain, and Denmark, respectively. This is the first report of F. arundinacea endophytes from seminatural grasslands in Denmark. Sixty‐seven percent of the F. rubra and 100% of the F. pratensis populations were infected. Ergovaline production varied, even within populations. A dendrogram based on microsatellite length polymorphisms separated endophytes of each Festuca species. In addition, Danish F. arundinacea endophytes were separate from the other F. arundinacea endophytes. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) demonstrated a pronounced genetic variation of F. arundinacea endophytes between countries and within the Italian and Spanish locations. Sampling strategy of endophyte‐infected Festuca spp. was evaluated by occurrence and genetic diversity. Sampling a large number of plants within locations for each of the “European geographical subgroups” is the suggested strategy for obtaining a genetically diverse array of Neotyphodium endophytes.