Endophyte-Host Associations in Forage Grasses. XIV. Primary Stromata Formation and Seed Transmission in Epichloe Typhina: Developmental and Regulatory Aspects

ABSTRACT

Fungus/host interactions during primary stroma formation were investigated for Acremonium typhinum in Agrostis hiemalis and Elymus canadensis and found to be essentially the same in both grasses. In Festuca obtusa, where no primary conidial stroma or perithecial Epichloe typhina stroma are formed, A. typhinum is seed transmitted and has a similar habit to A. coenophialum in Festuca arundinacea. Experiments were conducted to determine the possible role of sugar utilization capacity in regulating stromata formation.

Key Words:

• Acremonium
• Agrostis
• Elymus
• Epichloe
• Festuca
• endophytes
• fructose
• glucose
• sucrose
• xylose