The effect of endophyte on phyllosphere microbes and leaf metabolites in .

Upon exposure to the prevailing environment, leaves become increasingly colonized by fungi and bacteria located on the surface (epiphytic) or within (endophytic) the leaves. Many cool season grasses, including , host a seed-borne, intercellular, mutualistic fungal endophyte, the growth of which is synchronized with the host grass. A study utilizing illumina sequencing was used to examine the epiphytic and endophytic microbial communities in endophyte-infected and endophyte-free plants growing under hot dry field conditions. The presence of endophyte increased the Shannon and decreased Simpson diversity of bacterial and fungal communities. and bacteria and and fungi were growing largely epiphytically, whereas and the fungus were mostly found within leaves with the location of colonization influenced by the endophyte. In addition, leaf metabolites in -infected and -free leaves were examined using LC/MS. was significantly correlated with 132 metabolites.