Open AccessAgronomic response of Italian ryegrasses infected with different Neotyphodium strains
Author(s) -
B.M. Cooper,
D. E. Hume,
K.A. Panckhurst,
Alison J. Popay
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
grassland research and practice series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2463-4751
pISSN - 0110-8581
DOI - 10.33584/rps.13.2006.3147
Subject(s) - neotyphodium , endophyte , biology , lolium multiflorum , lolium , agronomy , cultivar , lolium perenne , perennial plant , poaceae , botany
Italian (Lolium multiflorum) and short-term hybrid ryegrasses (L. boucheanum) are utilised by farmers for their reliable establishment and yield potential for winter feeding, but lack summer production and persistence. To improve the performance of these ryegrasses, endophyte (Neotyphodium lolii) strains from perennial ryegrass were inoculated into several cultivars and evaluated for agronomic performance in the Northland region of New Zealand. 'Moata' tetraploid Italian ryegrass families usually showed a reduction in yield when infected with the AR5 strain compared with endophyte-free Moata. Infection of the Italian ryegrass cultivars 'Corvette' and 'Status' with the N. lolii endophytes strains, AR1 and more particularly AR37, usually increased plant production and persistence. Natural infection with the N. occultans endophyte also improved plant performance. Improved plant performance was most closely associated with reduced damage from African black beetle. Interactions between plant line/cultivar and endophyte strain offer the potential for plant breeders to provide enhanced endophyte-infected cultivars of Italian ryegrasses to farmers. Keywords: endophyte, Neotyphodium lolii, Neotyphodium occultans, Italian ryegrass, Lolium multiflorum, dry matter yields, plant persistence, insect damage