Grass and Endophyte Interactions
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2023) | Viewed by 181
Special Issue Editors
Interests: phytopathology; plant pathology; biological control; plant breeding; plant physiology; agronomy; fungi; pathogens; seed germination; microbiology; grass and endophyte interactions
Interests: biological control; phytopathology; plant physiology; endophytic fungi; fungi
Interests: grasses; biomass; sport turf; climate change; drought; biodiversity; endophytes; Epichloë; tall wheatgrass; switchgrass; Miscanthus; agronomy; agricultural biochemistry; abiotic stress tolerance; grasses: turf; ornamental and energy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Grasses are the host of symptomless endophytic fungi, from Epichloë genera. For agricultural practice, this symbiosis has a positive effect on the grasses inhabited by these fungi, but at the same time. the fodder from grasses inhabited by these fungi may adversely affect livestock. Endophyte-infected grasses express a range of adaptations to abiotic (drought, mineral imbalance, soil acidity) and biotic (disease, pest, or animals) stresses. As a result, endophyte-infected grasses are more compatible than non-infected grasses and thrive better in the presence of limited resources. However, in certain circumstances, endophytes may produce toxic alkaloids (ergovaline, lolitrem B, etc.) that have been linked with animal production and health problems. “Ryegrass staggers syndrome” and “fescue toxicosis” are the most common animal diseases caused by endophyte-infected grass.
Although the co-existence of plants and endophyte fungi was first described in the 19th century, current knowledge around it is still lacking. The first written information about fungi from Neotyphodium genera (now Epichloë) existing in seeds of Lolium temulentum is from 1989. However, only after discovering the harmful effect of endophytes on animals and the relation between endophytes and increased stress resistance of grasses has interest in this problem grown significantly worldwide.
In this Special Issue, we invite papers on the association of grasses with endophytes and an examination of the alkaloids produced by these fungi. Papers describing the reactions of grasses inhabited by endophytes to biotic and abiotic stresses as well as the adverse effects of alkaloids on farm animals will be of interest.
Dr. Barbara Wiewióra
Dr. Dariusz Pańka
Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Żurek
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- grass endophyte
- Epichloë fungi
- biotic stresses
- abiotic stresses
- toxins
- alkaloids
- ergovaline
- loli-trem
- peramine
- Ryegrass staggers syndrome
- fescue toxicosis
