New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

---

Influence of the endophyte (Neotyphodium lolii) on morphology, physiology, and alkaloid synthesis of perennial ryegrass during high temperature and water stress

J. P. J. EERENS
AgResearch
Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton, New Zealand

R. J. LUCAS
Department of Plant Science
Lincoln University
P. O. Box 84
Canterbury, New Zealand

S. EASTON
AgResearch
Grasslands Research Centre
Private Bag 11008
Palmerston North, New Zealand

J. G. H. WHITE
Department of Plant Science
Lincoln University
P. O. Box 84
Canterbury, New Zealand

Abstract  The influence of the endophyte (Neotyphodium lolii) on morphology and physiology of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) `Grasslands Nui' was examined in a replicated glasshouse experiment. Ryegrass plants either free of endophyte or infected with its endemic endophyte (wildtype) or AR6 (low lolitrem B-producing endophyte strain) were grown under combinations of water (well watered versus water stressed) and temperature (25deg.C (hot) average versus 20deg.C (low) average) treatments. Endophyte-free plants had significantly higher shoot and total weight, higher water use and water use efficiency, and were more wilted than endophyte-infected plants. There was a significant (P < 0.05) endophyte x temperature interaction and endophyte x temperature x water interaction for lolitrem B concentration and wilt score, and the endophyte x water interaction was significant (P < 0.05) for ergovaline concentration and wilt score.

Keywords  endophyte; morphology; water stress; Neotyphodium lolii; perennial ryegrass; physiology; temperature stress

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1998, Vol. 41: 219-226

0028-8233/98/4102-0219 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1998

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (665K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

---

This year's abstracts | Journal home page | All abstracts | Publishing home page