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Influence of phosphorus on the growth and ergot alkaloid content of Neotyphodium coenophialum-infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)

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Abstract

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plants infected by the fungal endophyte Neotyphodium coenophialum (Morgan-Jones & Gams) (Glenn et al., 1996) often perform better than noninfected plants, especially in marginal resource environments. There is a lack of information about endophyte related effects on the rhizosphere of grasses. In a greenhouse experiment, four endophyte-infected (E+) tall fescue clones (DN2, DN4, DN7, DN11) and their endophyte-free (E−) forms were grown in limed (pH 6.3) Porter soil (low fertility, acidic, high aluminum and low phosphorus content, coarse-loamy mixed mesic Umbric Dystrochrept) at three soil P levels (17, 50, and 96 mg P kg-1 soil) for five months. Excluding the genotype effect, endophyte infection significantly increased cumulative herbage DM yield by 8% at 17 mg P kg-1 soil but reduced cumulative herbage DM yield by 12% at 96 mg P kg-1 soil. With increased P availability in the soil, shoot and root DM, and root/shoot ratio in E+ plants were significantly less when compared to E− plants. Endophyte infection increased specific root length at 17 and 50 mg P kg-1soil. At soil P level of 17 mg P kg-1soil, E+ plants had significantly higher P concentrations both in roots and shoots. Similar relationships were found for Mg and Ca. E+ plants had significantly higher Zn, Fe, and Al concentration in roots, and lower Mn and Al concentration in shoots when compared to E− plants. Ergot alkaloid concentration and content in shoot of E+ plants increased with increasing P availability in the soil from 17 to 50 mg P kg-1 but declined again at 96 mg P kg-1 soil. Ergot alkaloid accumulation in roots increased linearly with P availability in the soil. Results suggest that endophyte infection affects uptake of phosphorus and other mineral nutrients and may benefit tall fescue grown on P-deficient soils. Phosphorus seems also to be involved in ergot alkaloid accumulation in endophyte-infected tall fescue.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Appalachian Soil and Water Conservation Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, P.O. Box 400, Beaver, WV, 25813-0400, USA

    D.P. Malinowski, D.P. Belesky, D.P. Belesky, V.C. Baligar & J.M. Fedders

  2. Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    N.S. Hill

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  1. D.P. Malinowski
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  2. D.P. Belesky
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  3. N.S. Hill
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  4. V.C. Baligar
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  5. J.M. Fedders
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Malinowski, D., Belesky, D., Hill, N. et al. Influence of phosphorus on the growth and ergot alkaloid content of Neotyphodium coenophialum-infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). Plant and Soil 198, 53–61 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004279401196

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