Fungal endophytes help prevent weed invasions.

SAIKKONEN,K.; RUOKOLAINEN, K.; HUITU, O.; GUNDEL, P.E.; PILTTI, T.; HAMILTON, C.E. & M. HELANDER.

AGRICULTURE, ECOSYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENT

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2013 vol. 165 p. 1 - 5

0167-8809

This study tested whether the endophyte-promoted competitive superiority of forage grass can be used in biological weed control. Feasibility of endophytes in weed control was tested by manipulating endophyte colonization of meadow fescue (Scherodonus  pratensis  ex. Lolium pratense and Festuca pratensis) in three experiments. First, species richness, the cover percentages and biomass of detected  species  were estimated  in  replicated  field  plots  seeded with  endophyte-free (E−) or endophyte colonized (E+) meadow fescue. Four years after establishment  of  the  grass  monocultures, weed species  richness  and  coverage was higher in E− plots compared to E+ plots. The cover percentages of meadow fescue decreased with weed invasions  being  75%  and 98% in E− and E+ plots, respectively.  Similarly, the proportion of weeds in the total biomass was over 45% higher in E− plots compared to E+ plots at the end of the six years study. Half of the  plots were subjected to herbivory by voles, but the effect of endophyte overrode the effect of herbivory. Second, the survival of individually grown E+ meadow fescues was higher and the plants were  50%  larger and produced 54% more inflorescences than E− plants in a common garden experiment. Third, a seed germination test demonstrated that recruitment of new  meadow  fescues was not mediated by substances inhibiting seed germination potentially released by E+ plants. These results demonstrated that endophyte promoted competitive superiority of grass cultivars can hinder weed invasions.