Author
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Bacon, Charles |
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Hinton, Dorothy |
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Submitted to: Phytopathology Supplement; APSnet (Plant Pathology Online)
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 2/24/2013 Publication Date: 6/15/2013 Citation: Bacon, C.W., Hinton, D.M. 2013. Additional hosts for Balansia epichloe in tall fescue pastures [abstract]. Phytopathology 103(Suppl. 2):S2.11. DOI: 10.1094/PHYTO-103-6-S2.11 Interpretive Summary: Abstract - no summary required. Technical Abstract: The clavicipitalean fungi consist of a group of closely related species that are parasitic on grasses and sedges. These fungi are biotrophic and regarded as mutualist since they argument the hosts defenses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. The fungi consisted of species of Epichloe and Balansia that are characterized as endophytic in their association with grasses. Several species have been demonstrated to be disseminated horizontally although some questionably use both vertical and horizontal dissemination. Much work is done on the Epichloe species in terms of infection and host associations. Dissemination and infection have not been determined in the Balansia species although it is expected that both should behave similarly and of course with specific differences. Similarities are expressed by species of both genera by the production of ergot alkaloids, although again there are differences with the species of Epichloe producing the more sophisticated chemical and toxic ergot alkaloid configurations with similarity to those produced by species of Claviceps. This work is based on observations of natural host infections by species of Balansia over a 25-year period on the occurrence of infection on different host within a location by one species, B. epichloe (synonym B. kunzei). |
