Preliminary Evaluation Of The Disease Resistance Of Festuca Sinensis Infected By Epichloe Sinensis

In the present study, the effects of Epichloe sinensis on the interaction of host grasses Festuca sinensis with two fungal pathogens-Alternaria alternata and Bipolaris sorokiniana-were evaluated. The two pathogen spore inoculation on detached leaves of 3 F. sinensis ecotypes showed that neither E. sinensis endophyte nor host genotype had effects on disease resistance of detached leaves of the host F. sinensis until later stage of disease progress. The disease lesion lengths of B. sorokiniana on E+ plants of all 3 ecotypes were significantly lower (p < .05) than those on E- plants of corresponding ecotype at 7 days after inoculation. Field survey and two pathogen spore inoculation on intact plants of different ecotypes showed that the endophyte infected plants although remained susceptible to infection, fewer or smaller lesions were more likely to occur than on endophyte-free plants which suggested positive effects of endophyte on F. sinensis disease resistance. Host genotype also had effects on disease resistance of the intact F. sinensis plants. The primary evaluation provided more reference for relationship between native grass species and its associated endophyte.