Search

Tropospheric ozone is an abiotic stress of increasing importance in the context of global climate change. This greenhouse gas is a potent phytotoxic molecule with demonstrated negative effects on crop yield and natural ecosystems. Recently, oxidative stress has been proposed as a mechanism that could regulate the interaction between cool‐season grasses and Epichloë endophytes. We hypothesized that exposure of Lolium multiflorum plants, hosting endophytes to an ozone‐polluted environment at different ontogenetic phases, would impact the trans‐generational dynamics of the vertically transmitted fungal symbiont. Here, we found that the ozone‐induced stress on the mother plants did not affect the endophyte vertical transmission but it impaired the persistence of the fungus in the seed exposed to artificial ageing. Endophyte longevity in seed was reduced by exposure of the mother plant to ozone. Although ozone exposure did not influence either the endophyte mycelial concentration or their compound defences (loline alkaloids), a positive correlation was observed between host fitness and the concentration of endophyte‐derived defence compounds. This suggests that fungal defences in grass seeds were not all produced in situ but remobilized from the vegetative tissues. Our study reveals ozone trans‐generational effects on the persistence of a beneficial symbiont in a host grass. Mother plant exposure to ozone did not affect the growth and the transmission of fungal endophytes into host seeds. Seed alkaloid concentration correlated with endophyte mycelial concentration and host fitness. However, ozone‐induced stress on mother plants did impair the longevity of the endophytes in the seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) is recognized as an effective defence against biotrophic pathogens, but its role as regulator of beneficial plant symbionts has received little attention. We studied the relationship between the SA hormone and leaf fungal endophytes on herbivore defences in symbiotic grasses. We hypothesize that the SA exposure suppresses the endophyte reducing the fungal‐produced alkaloids. Because of the role that alkaloids play in anti‐herbivore defences, any reduction in their production should make host plants more susceptible to herbivores. Lolium multiflorum plants symbiotic and nonsymbiotic with the endophyte Epichloë occultans were exposed to SA followed by a challenge with the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi. We measured the level of plant resistance to aphids, and the defences conferred by endophytes and host plants. Symbiotic plants had lower concentrations of SA than did the nonsymbiotic counterparts. Consistent with our prediction, the hormonal treatment reduced the concentration of loline alkaloids (i.e., N‐formyllolines and N‐acetylnorlolines) and consequently decreased the endophyte‐conferred resistance against aphids. Our study highlights the importance of the interaction between the plant immune system and endophytes for the stability of the defensive mutualism. Our results indicate that the SA plays a critical role in regulating the endophyte‐conferred resistance against herbivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]