Infección de festucas finas por hongos endofítos epichloe en la Cordillera Cantábrica

Abstract

Eighteen wild populations of fme-fescues (10 of Festuca ovina L. and eight of Festuca rubra L.) collected in northern Spain were examined for the presence of the Epichloé fungal endophytes. One hundred seeds per population were examined. Seeds infected were detected in all the eight Festuca rubra populations and in six out of 10 Festuca ovina populations. Festuca rubra populations were infected with endophyte at a mean frequency of 35.9% (s.d. = 20.7) ranging from 2% to 64%. In Festuca ovina, 60% of the populations were infected with endophyte at a mean frequency of 30.7% (s.d. = 25.6) varying the infection level from 6% to 64%. Most of the infected populations showed a low to intermedíate infection valué: 10 populations had an infection under 50%, whereas four populations had an infection over 50%. These results show that association of Epichlóe with Festuca rubra and Festuca ovina is common and occurs at low to intermediate frequencies (0% to 50%) in northern Spanish grasslands.