Role of endophytic fungi in grassland ecosystems of Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology

2 Isfahan Research Center of Animal Science and Natural Resource

3 Department of Range Management , College of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology

Abstract

Symbiotic relationship has been found between endophytic fungi and most cool-season grasses including 80 genera and 100 species of subfamily Pooideae. In this relation, endophytic fungi gain their food and energy from host plants and instead improve host characteristics such as yield and render plants resistant to dense grazing and biotic and abiotic stresses. This effects induced from endophytic fungi can increase net production and stability in ecosystem. Results of studies conducted in past years by authors in tall fescue showed that endophytic fungi improve phenotypic characteristics of plants under stress and non-stress environments. That includes increase of root biomass, tiller number, crown depth and forage yield. Conferred traits are generally through production of some bioactive compounds that can affect ecosystem maintenance. Other studies showed that occurrence of stress environment may cause more superiority of endophyte- infected plants than endophyte-free versions and extensive prevalence of plants containing endophyte may be predictable in the future. Research strategies at present and in future, are better conception of host-endophyte genetic interactions and transfer of this symbiosis to other forage plants.
 
 

Keywords

References

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