title: Influence of nitrogen fertilizer and endophyte infection on ecophysiological parameters and mineral element content of perennial ryegrass.
abstract: An experiment was designed to determine the effect of the fungal endophyte Neotyphodium lolii on the growth, physiological parameters and mineral element content of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perennel L.), when growing at two N supply levels. Endophyte infection had a significant positive effect on both shoot and root growth of ryegrass, but this difference was only significant in the high N supply treatment. At high N supply, endophyte-infected (EI) plants accumulated more soluble sugar in the sheath and the root than endophyte-free (EF) plants. Endophyte infection affected mineral element concentrations in the root more than in the shoot. We found a significant effect of endophyte infection on B, Mn and Mg in the root, but significant effect was only found on B in the shoot. EI plants tended to accumulate less B in the shoot at both N levels, but accumulated more B, Mn and Mg in the root at low N levels. The difference of growth parameters in different periods was significant. The content of soluble sugar and crude protein in the sheath were also dependent on the growth stages of both EI and EF plants.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: An-Zhi
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Yu-Bao
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jin-Long
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Nian-Xi
authors.initials: NX
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018533:Biomass; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D004602:Elements; D005308:Fertilizers; D008129:Lolium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012995:Solubility / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D045424:Complex Mixtures; D004602:Elements; D005308:Fertilizers; D008903:Minerals; D010940:Plant Proteins; D009584:Nitrogen