New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts

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The relationship of host and endophyte during flowering, seed formation, and germination of Lolium perenne

MELVA N. PHILIPSON

Botany Division, DSIR
Private Bag. Christchurch. New Zealand

MARY C. CHRISTEY

Crop Research Divison, DSIR
Private Bag, Christchurch, New Zealand

Abstract The development of a fungal endo- phyte in the tissue of Lolium perenne during flow- ering, seed set. and germination is described. The endophyte progresses intercellularly from the vega- tative apex intc^th? inflorescence primordium and floral apices, from where it penetrates the tissues of ovary and ovule. At megagametophyte maturity, hyphae are concentrated outside its wall adjacent to the large lateral antipodal cells and subsequently gain entry to the embryo sac, probably soon after fertilisation. During early embryogenesis, hyphae occur on the surface of the embryo, and penetrate it at the 'notched' stage. At seed maturity, hyphae are widespread within the embryo, including the plumule apex, as well as below the testa, between cells of the aleurone layer, and between scutellum and endosperm. At germination, hyphae outside the embryo appear to play no further part in invasion of the already infected embryo. The endophyte of Festuca arundinacea has a similar relationship with its host and appears to be ultrastructurally indis- tinguishable from that of Lolium perenne.

Keywords endophyte; Lolium perenne, rye- grass; flowering; megagametophyte; embryo sac; embryo; infection; primordium; seed; germination; Festuca arundinacea

Received 24 April 1985; accepted 19 July 1985
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 1986, Vol. 24: 125-134
0028-825X/86/2401-0l'25$2.56/0 © Crown copyright 1986

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