Abstract
Epichloë is a genus of filamentous fungal endophytes that has co-evolved with cool-season grasses with which they form long-term, symbiotic associations. The most agriculturally important associations for pasture persistence for grazing livestock are those between asexual vertically transmitted Epichloë strains and the pasture species, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue. The fungus confers additional traits to their host grasses including invertebrate pest deterrence and drought tolerance. Selected strains of these mutualistic endophytes have been developed into highly efficacious biocontrol products and are widely utilized within the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand for pasture persistence. Less publicized is the antagonism Epichloë endophytes display towards multiple species of saprophytic and pathogenic microbes. This opinion piece will review the current literature on antimicrobial properties exhibited by this genus of endophyte and discuss the reasons why this trait has historically remained a research curiosity rather than a trait of commercial significance.
Highlights
Most multicellular life on Earth lives in symbiosis with microorganisms [1]
Mutualistic symbioses were likely responsible for early host plant habitat transitions in the late Precambrian era with several microbial species implicated in the evolution of photosynthesizing organisms [7,8,9,10]
The potential for other fungal endophyte taxa to be used as biological control agents against phytopathogens in rice, wheat and maize has been proposed as a worthy research aim [169]
Summary
For example, whether they are growing within natural or managed ecosystems, are constantly interacting with a myriad of living microorganisms, including archaea, bacteria, fungi, and protists, throughout their lifecycle [2]. This microbial community (the plant microbiota) coupled with the surrounding environment (the entire habitat = the microbiome) has distinct physio-chemical properties and is crucially important for the health and productivity of the host plant. Examples include lichens (associations between algae or cyanobacteria and several fungal species), those between rhizobia and legumes, mycorrhiza (those associations between plants and fungi), and associations between Epichloë fungal endophytes and cool-season grasses
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