Abstract
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is widely cultivated around the world for turf and forage. However, the plant is highly susceptible to disease and is sensitive to drought. The present study aims to determine the effect of the fungal endophyte Epichloë festucae var. lolii of perennial ryegrass on the combined stresses of drought and disease caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana in the greenhouse. In the experiment, plants infected (E+) or not infected (E−) with the fungal endophyte were inoculated with Bipolaris sorokiniana and put under different soil water regimes (30%, 50%, and 70%). The control treatment consisted of E+ and E− plants not inoculated with B. sorokiniana. Plant growth, phosphorus (P) uptake, photosynthetic parameters, and other physiological indices were evaluated two weeks after pathogen infection. The fungal endophyte in E+ plants increased P uptake, plant growth, and photosynthetic parameters but decreased the malondialdehyde concentration, proline content, and disease incidence of perennial ryegrass (p < 0.05). E+ plants had the lowest disease incidence at 70% soil water (p < 0.05). The study demonstrates that the fungal endophyte E. festucae var. lolii is beneficial for plant growth and stress tolerance in perennial ryegrass exposed to the combined stresses of drought and B. sorokiniana.
Highlights
Plants are often exposed to various abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought, temperature extremes, salinity, heavy metals, and disease
In Li et al [25], we tested the growth and physiological responses of perennial ryegrass to an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus and an Epichloë endophyte under different soil water contents; the study showed that the plant–AM–endophyte symbiosis alleviates the damage caused by drought stress by promoting P uptake, photosynthesis, and the accumulation of osmoregulatory substances
Another study by our research group [26] tested the individual effect of AM fungus on disease and drought stress resistance in perennial ryegrass; the results revealed that the AM fungus could improve P uptake and growth of perennial ryegrass to alleviate the damage caused by biotic and abiotic stresses
Summary
Plants are often exposed to various abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought, temperature extremes, salinity, heavy metals, and disease. The fungal endophytes enhance plant growth [14] and nutrient uptake [15] in host plants Of note, this symbiotic relationship can increase plant resistance to abiotic [16,17] and biotic stresses [18,19]. In Li et al [25], we tested the growth and physiological responses of perennial ryegrass to an AM fungus and an Epichloë endophyte under different soil water contents; the study showed that the plant–AM–endophyte symbiosis alleviates the damage caused by drought stress by promoting P uptake, photosynthesis, and the accumulation of osmoregulatory substances. Xia et al [27] examined the effect of the endophyte Epichloë gansuensis on the powdery mildew disease caused by Blumeria graminis and the growth of the host grass Achnatherum inebrians under four soil water conditions. Phosphorus (P) uptake, photosynthetic parameters, enzyme activities, and osmotic adjustment substances were subsequently measured
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