The fungus Epichloe typhina in populations of a halophyte Puccinellia distans: salinity as a possible inhibitor of infection

• Autorzy: Lembicz M , Olejniczak P.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Puccinellia distans is a non-agricultural halophytic grass that has become another host plant for Epichloe typhina, hitherto not reported from Poland. In 1992 we noticed the first symptoms of choke disease in a single population of P. distans in central Poland. Since then we have observed choke disease in 5 populations of P. distans only in man-made habitats. These habitats are strongly anthropogenically salinated but they exhibit the pattern of species composition characteristic of natural salines. In this paper we test the hypothesis that the level of salinity affects the infection of P. distans by the fungus E. typhina. Seven plots were established in the field and each plot was divided into 25 subplots. Within each plot the level of infection in a spring generation of shoots was negatively correlated with salinity (common regression within the plots, beta = -0.674, df = 117, p < 0.001). Negative correlation was also found in an autumn generation within the plots (beta = -0.682, df = 94, p < 0.001) after excluding plot P in which the frequency of infected individuals was the lowest and equal only to 0.05. The proportion of individuals infected by the endophytic stage of the fungus in the populations was assessed using diagnostic polymerase chain reaction. The greatest percentage (98.3%) of infected individuals was found in the population growing in the habitat of the lowest salinity. The high salinity reduces the chance of P. distans to become infected, but may promote the stroma formation of E. typhina twice in the season. Disease expression in autumn clearly represents a misadaptation which could be explained by the fact that the species interactions described here appeared relatively recently as a result of human activity. This hypothesis requires further experimental verification.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

polymerase chain reaction; choke disease; infection frequency; field experiment; fungi; Puccinellia distans; host plant; halophytic grass; salinity; fungal endophyte; Epichloe typhina; grass

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae
• Rocznik: 2009
• Tom: 78
• Numer: 1
• Opis fizyczny: p.81-86,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Lembicz M

• A.Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznan, Poland

autor

Olejniczak P.

Bibliografia

• BACON C., PORTER W., ROBBINSON K., LUTTRELL E.S. 1977. Epichloe typhina from toxic tall fescue. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 34: 576-581.
• BADMIN J.S. 1981. The occurrence of Puccinellia distans in Warwickshire. Proc. Birmingham Nat. Hist. Soc. 24: 122-124. BRADSHAW A.D. 1959. Population differentiation in Agrostis tenuis Sibth. II. The incidence and significance of infection by Epichloe typhina. New Phytol. 58: 310-315.
• BULTMAN T.L., LEUCHTMANN A. 2003. A test of host specialization by insect vectors as a mechanism for reproductive isolation among entomophilous fungal species. Oikos 103: 681-687.
• BULTMAN T.L., WHITE J.F., BOWDISH T.I., WELCH A.M. 1998. A new kind of mutualism between fungi and insects. Mycol. Res. 102: 235-238.
• CHUNG K.R., SCHARDL C.L. 1997. Sexual cycle and horizontal transmission of the grass symbiont, Epichloe typhina. Mycol. Res. 101: 295-301.
• DETTMAR J. 1993. Puccinellia distans - Gesellschaften auf Industrieflachen im Ruhrgebiet - Vergesellschaftung von Puccinellia distans in Europa. Tuexenia 13: 445-465.
• DOSS R.P., CLAMENT S.L., KUY S.R., WELTY R.E. 1998. A PCR-based technique for detection of Neotyphodium endophytes in diverse accession of tall fescue. Plant Dis. 82: 738-740.
• ECKBLAD F.E., TORKELSEN A.E. 1989. Epichloe typhina in Norway. Opera Bot. 100: 51-57.
• GLENN A.E., BACON C.W., PRICE R., HANLIN R.T. 1996. Molecular phylogeny of Acremonium and its taxonomic implications. Mycologia 88: 369-383.
• GROPPE K., STEINGER T., SCHMID B., BAUR B., BOLLER T. 2001. Effects of habitat fragmentation on choke disease (Epichloe bromicola) in the grass Bromus erectus. J. Ecol. 89: 247-255.
• GROPPE K., STEINGER T., SANDERS I., SCHMID B., WIEMKEN A., BOLLER T. 1999. Interaction between the endophytic fungus Epichloe bromicola and the grass Bromus erectus: effects of endophyte infection, fungal concentration and environment on grass growth and flowering. Mol. Ecol. 8: 1827-1835.
• HUGHES W.E., HOLLIDAY S. 1980. Puccinellia Parl. Flora Europaea (eds T.G. Tutin, V.H. Heywod, N.A. Burges, D.M. Moore, O.H. Valentine, S.M. Walter, D.A. Webb), 5: 167-169. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
• JACKOWIAK B. 1996. Chorological-ecological model of the spread of Puccinellia distans (Poaceae) in Central Europe. Frag. Flor. Geobot. 41: 551-561.
• KOHLMEYER J., KOHLMEYER E. 1974. Distribution of Epichloe typhina (Ascomycetes) and its parasitic fly. Mycologia 66: 77-86.
• LEMBICZ M. 1998. Life history of Puccinellia distans (L.) Parl. (Poaceae) in the colonisation of anthropogenic habitats. Phyto- coenosis 10: 1-32.
• MARKS S., CLAY K. 1990. Effects of CO2 enrichment, nutrient addition, and fungal endophyte - infection on the growth of two grasses. Oceologia 84: 207-214.
• MEIER G., LEUCHTMANN A. 2000. The effects of genetic and enviromental factors on disease expression (stroma formation) and plant growth in Brachypodium sylvaticum by Epichloe typhina. Oikos 91: 446-458.
• PFENDER W.F., ALDERMAN S.C. 1999. Geographical dstribu- tion and incidence of orchardgrass choke, caused by Epichloe typhina, in Oregon. Plant Dis. 83: 754-758.
• SAMPSON K. 1933. The systemic infection of grasses by Epi- chloe typhina (Pers.) Tul. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 18: 30-47.
• SCHARDL C.L., LEUCHTMANN A. 1999. Three new species of Epichloe symbiotic with North American grasses. Mycolo- gia 91: 95-107.
• WENNSRTÖM A. 1996. The distribution of Epichloe typhina in natural plant populations of the host plant Calamagrostis purpurea. Ecography 19: 377-381.
• WHITE J. F. Jr. 1987. The widespread distribution of endophytes in the Poaceae. Plant Dis. 71: 340-342.
• WHITE J.F. Jr, MORGAN-JONES G., MORROW A.C. 1993. Taxonomy, life cycle and detection of Acremonium endophytes. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 44: 13-37.