Journal
BOTANY
Volume 87, Issue 1, Pages 88-96Publisher
CANADIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING
DOI: 10.1139/B08-119
Keywords
endophyte infection; seed longevity; endophyte longevity; endophyte transmission
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Neotyphodium endophyte fungi are vertically transmitted symbionts of cool-season grasses. The seed phase of the grass' life cycle appears to be critical for the persistence of the fungus. Endophyte viability decreases faster than seed viability, but little is known of the effects of this endophyte on seed viability. The endophyte could affect seed viability through changes in water content. Here, we assessed the effects of the endophyte on seed viability, the differential survival of endophyte and seed, and the effects of infection on seed water content. Viability of endophyte-infected and noninfected seeds and endophyte were evaluated over a period of 729 d under 12 controlled environmental conditions. Seed viability was reduced by the infection at high temperature and high relative humidity, but not under other conditions. Moreover, endophyte viability decreased faster than seed viability only under high humidity or high temperature. Seed water content was not affected by endophyte presence. The proportion of viable infected seeds was mainly affected by the loss in endophyte viability and secondly by the differential survival of infected and noninfected seeds. Knowledge on the relative importance of these processes is critical to understand the factors affecting the efficiency of endophyte vertical transmission and the frequency of endophyte-infected plants.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available