Epichloë sp. enhances micropropagation efficiency in grasses

REGALADO GONZÁLEZ, JOSÉ JAVIER; BERDION, V.; VIGNALE, M.V.; PITTA-ALVAREZ, S. I.; NOVAS, M. V.; IANNONE, L. J.

Salamanca

Simposio; 10th International Symposium on Fungal Endophytes of Grasses; 2018

Universidad de Salamanca

Fungi of the genus Epichloë (Tul) are a group of Ascomycota (Hypocreales, Clavicipitaceae) including bothsexual and asexual species, which establish symbiotic associations as foliar endophytes. Asexual species arecommonly called “endophytes of grasses” because they grow within the tissues of some C3 grasses (Poaceae,subfamily Pooideae)[1]. The association with Epichloë endophytes usually impacts significantly on the physiologyand ecology of host plants[2]. Particularly, asexual Epichloë spp. promote biomass and seeds production, regrowthcapacity and increasethe resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses) in the host plant. Thus, these endophytes havebeen used in grass breeding. However, biotechnological tools are difficult to use in this breeding because grassesare recalcitrant to in vitro culture[3]. The objective of our research is to study the effect of Epichloë sp. on themicropropagation of different grasses and develop micropropagation protocols to allow the application of differentbiotechnological tools in these grasses.