The Endophyte <i>Neotyphodium coenophialum</i> Affects Root Morphology of Tall Fescue Grown under Phosphorus Deficiency

Abstract

Mechanisms involved in mineral stress tolerance of cool‐season grasses infected by Neotyphodium spp. endophytes are not known. In a controlled‐environment experiment, two genotypes (DN2 and DN4) of tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) infected (E+) with their naturally occurring strains of N. coenophialum (Morgan‐Jones and Gams) Glenn, Bacon and Hanlin, and their non‐infected (E−) isolines were cultivated in nutrient solution at two phosphorus (P) levels of 31 mg P dm −3 (P+) and 0.31 mg P dm −3 (P−) for 3 weeks. Diameters of lateral roots, root hair length, and distance between root hairs were recorded using a digital image analysis system (Dage 72S CCD camera controlled by a Power MacIntosh 7200/120PC compatible computer equipped with an AG‐5 frame grabber board and NIH‐Image). Irrespective of tall fescue genotype and P level in nutrient solution, E+ plants had roots with a smaller diameter (16 %) than E− plants. In response to P deficiency, root diameter of E+ plants declined by 11 % and root hair length increased by 17 % when compared to E− plants. Altered root diameter and root hair length might be one of the mineral stress tolerance mechanisms in endophyte‐infected tall fescue.