State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems; Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture; and College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, P. O. Box 61, Lanzhou 730020, P. R. China.
Plant Dis. 2018 Nov;102(11):2061-2073. doi: 10.1094/PDIS-05-18-0762-FE. Epub 2018 Oct 1.
Various cool-season grasses are infected by Epichloë endophyte, and this symbiotic relationship is always of benefit to the host grass due to an increased resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Fungal diseases adversely affect the yield, quality, and economic benefits of rangelands, which affects the production of animal husbandry. Therefore, it is imperative to breed resistant cultivars and to better understand the role of fungal endophytes in order to protect grasses against pathogens. The present review introduces research regarding how these endophytes affect the growth of pathogens in vitro and how they change the resistance of host plants to plant diseases. From the perspective of physical defense, changes in physiological indexes, and secretion of chemical compounds, we summarize the potential mechanisms by which endophytes are able to enhance the disease resistance of a host grass. Through these, we aim to establish a solid theoretical foundation for plant disease control and disease resistance breeding by application of fungal endophytes. A broader understanding of fungal endophyte effects on hosts could create a new opportunity for managing or introducing fungal symbioses in both agronomic or non-agronomic ecosystems.
各种冷季型禾草被内生真菌 Epichloë 感染，这种共生关系总是对宿主禾草有益，因为它提高了对非生物和生物胁迫的抗性。真菌病害会降低草地的产量、质量和经济效益，从而影响畜牧业的生产。因此，培育抗性品种和更好地了解内生真菌在保护植物免受病原体侵害方面的作用迫在眉睫。本综述介绍了这些内生真菌如何影响病原体在体外的生长以及它们如何改变宿主植物对植物病害的抗性的研究。从物理防御、生理指标的变化和化合物的分泌等方面，我们总结了内生真菌增强宿主草抗病性的潜在机制。通过这些，我们旨在为利用真菌内生菌进行植物病害防治和抗病性育种奠定坚实的理论基础。更深入地了解内生真菌对宿主的影响可能为管理或引入农业或非农业生态系统中的真菌共生关系创造新的机会。
