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Fungal Endophytes of Grasses: A Defensive Mutualism between Plants and Fungi
Author(s) -
Clay Keith
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1943155
Subject(s) - mutualism (biology) , biology , endophyte , herbivore , neotyphodium , symbiosis , botany , plant use of endophytic fungi in defense , ecology , commensalism , insect , epichloë , mycology , poaceae , bacteria , genetics , lolium perenne
Many grasses are infected by systemic fungal endophytes (family Clavicipitaceae, Ascomycetes) that produce pysiologically active alkaloids in the tissues of their hosts. Infection makes grasses toxic to domestic mammals and increases resistance to insect herbivores. Some grasses are sterilized by endophyte infection while remaining vegetatively vigorous; other infected grasses remain completely fertile. Experiments demonstrate that plant growth and seed production can be increased by infection. This symbiotic association may be a defensive mutualism in which the fungi defend their hosts against herbivory, thereby defending their own resources. Recent studies suggest that defensive mutualism of endophytes with grasses may be widespread.