TY - JOUR TI - Effects of Epichloƫ festucae fungal endophyte infection in strong creeping red fescue on abiotic and biotic stresses DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T32R3VKD PY - 2017 AB - Epichloƫ spp. are common naturally occurring fungal endophyte symbionts of many cool season grasses. Some endophyte-infected grasses have been confirmed to have enhanced abiotic and biotic stress resistance. Strong creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra ssp. rubra), an important cool-season turfgrass species, is often infected with E. festucae. The drought stress resistance of some endophyte-infected turfgrass species has been well studied, but no research has shown the effects of E. festucae on Festuca rubra ssp. rubra under drought stress or any turfgrass species under heat stress. It has been confirmed that endophyte-infected Festuca rubra ssp. rubra has increased disease resistance to dollar spot and red thread with unknown mechanism. A previous study compared the gene transcriptomes between endophyte-infected and endophyte-free Festuca rubra ssp. rubra and discovered a highly expressed fungal transcript encoding a small, basic, cysteine-rich protein that may be involved. This protein is similar to a Penicillium chrysogenum Thom antifungal protein (PAF) and an Aspergillus giganteus Wehmer antifungal protein (AFP). The goals of this thesis were to determine if endophyte infection had any effects on responses of Festuca rubra ssp. rubra to heat stress and/or drought stress and if the E. festucae antifungal protein had activity against the fungal pathogen Sclerotinia homoeocarpa F.T. Bennett, the causal agent of dollar spot. KW - Plant Biology KW - Red fescue LA - eng ER -