Effects of fungal endophytes on interspecific and intraspecific competition in the grasses Festuca arundinacea and Lolium perenne.

Published online
31 Aug 1991
Content type
Journal article
Journal title
Journal of Applied Ecology
DOI
10.2307/2404125

Author(s)
Marks, S. & Clay, K. & Cheplick, G. P.

Publication language
English

Abstract

In a series of greenhouse experiments, L. perenne cv. Repell (endophyte-infected) or Yorktown (endophyte-free) and separate seed lines of F. arundinacea cv. KY-31 (with approx. 5% and 95% endophyte infection) were grown at several combinations of species, plant density and endophyte infection. In general, endophyte infection enhanced the competitive ability of F. arundinacea; in contrast uninfected L. perenne plants performed better than infected plants under both interspecific and intraspecific competition.

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