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ABSTRACT
The tall fescue endophyte, Acremonium coenophialum, is inhibitory to mycorrhizal fungi. This study was conducted to determine if Acremonium inhibits infection and the extent of colonization of roots in addition to sporulation. Fewer fescue seedlings, with or without Acremonium, were infected by single spores of Glomus macrocarpum than pearl millet seedlings. However, fescue seedlings were infected by G. mosseae single spores to the same extent as pearl millet seedlings. Roots of Acremonium-free fescue were not colonized as extensively as those of pearl millet by either fungus. The presence of Acremonium in fescue caused a further considerable reduction in extent of mycorrhizal colonization. Effects of the host on sporulation were closely correlated with extent of colonization. Each of the three hosts supported a similar total spore volume of the two mycorrhizal fungi. Acremonium apparently does not affect infection, perhaps because the seedlings were too young for extensive transport of toxic alkaloids from Acremonium-infected shoot tissues to roots free of Acremonium.