Acremonium coenophialum is an endophytic fungus which infects
the reproductive and vegetative tissue of tall fescue. Interest in
this fungus was sparked by research which linked its presence in
tall fescue with reduced weight gains and alkaloid-like poisoning
in cattle. Incomplete information was available on the endophyte's
life or disease...
Tall fescue is thought to have co-evolved with the fungal endophyte Acremonium coenophialum to form a mutualistic relationship. Endophyte-infected (EI) plants can have increased growth and survival when compared with endophyte-free (EF) plants. Responses to endophyte-infection vary and are host-genotype and fungal-biotype specific. Mechanism(s) by which endophyte-infection confers increased growth...