MICR 3220 Lecture 32: Lecture 32
15 Jan 2019
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Document Summary
Endophytes: non-pathogenic organisms that live inside of plants. We are interested in them because of there mutualistic behaviors. Species one that infects the grass tall fescue: Species two that infects perennial rye grass: do not use the sexual name because there transmission is not through sexual spores, but it is through hyphae. Instead of producing the choke, this fungus grows up the inflorescence and grows into the seeds. If you look around the world in pastures, you see high levels of infections of acremonium. In the u. s. 90% of tall fescue pastures have infection with these acremoniums. The fungus is what produces the alkaloids, these accumulate in the plant tissue: rye grass staggers a disease of sheep: Infected plants have greatly reduced impacts due to insects: reduced aphids, army worms, crickets, etc, benefit to the plant: it reduces animal damage and prevents insect damage. This is an example of an endophyte with a mutualistic symbiosis.
