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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2016, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (6): 118-125.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2015419

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Morphological, physiological and phylogenetic characteristics of Epichloё endophyte associated with Dactylis glomerata

WANG Zheng-Feng1, 2, LI Xiu-Zhang1, LI Chun-Jie1, *   

  1. 1.State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China;
    2.Agriculture Science Institute of Baiyin, Baiyin 730900, China
  • Received:2015-09-07 Revised:2015-11-02 Online:2016-06-20 Published:2016-06-20

Abstract: Surveys conducted in Xinjiang revealed a Dactylis glomerata population infected by Epichloё endophyte. The conidial stroma on the grass tillers were waxy, yellow and 45-55 mm in length. The endophyte was isolated and incubated on PDA (potato dextrose agar) medium for two weeks at 25℃. The diameter of colonies ranged from 45-54 mm. They were compact, centrally raised with a white cottony mass of aerial hyphae and white to yellow on the underside. Hyphae were long with septum and conidia very sparse unless the colony was stressed. Conidiophores were hyaline, smooth, 13-33 μm long, 2.7-4.1 μm at base and less than 1.0 μm at the tip. Conidia were hyaline, oval to reniform and size ranged; (4.1±0.5) μm×(2.2±0.5) μm. These dimensions are typical of Epichloё endophytes. The preference of these isolated Epichloё endophytes for carbon source was sucrose>fructose>glucose>starch and for nitrogen sources, ammonium nitrate>peptone>potassium nitrate. These isolations exhibited differences in the hydrolysis of casein and starch. ITS sequence of isolation-Ed0907 was analysis and the phylogenetic tree constructed; it showed that the tested isolation clustered with Epichloё typhina with 100% similarity rate. Based on these morphological, physiological and phylogenetic characteristics, the endophyte isolated from D. glomerata was identified as Epichloё spp.