Endophytic fungus decreases plant virus infections in meadow ryegrass (Lolium pratense).
We studied the effects of fungal endophyte infection of meadow ryegrass (Lolium pratense=Festuca pratensis) on the frequency of the barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). The virus is transferred by aphids, which may be deterred by endophyte-origin alkaloids within the plant. In our experiment, we released viruliferous aphid vectors on endophyte-infected and endophyte-free plants in a common garden. The number of aphids and the percentage of BYDV infections were lower in endophyte-infected plants compared to endophyte-free plants, indicating that endophyte infection may protect meadow ryegrass from BYDV infections.
Lehtonen
Päivi T
PT
Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland. patule@utu.fi
Helander
Marjo
M
Siddiqui
Shahid A
SA
Lehto
Kirsi
K
Saikkonen
Kari
K
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001042:Aphids / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology; D018533:Biomass; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006999:Hypocreales / Q000502:physiology*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008129:Lolium / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*; D017793:Luteovirus / Q000276:immunology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral