Effect of simulated acid rain on the mutualism between tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and an endophytic fungus (Acremonium coenophialum)

Journal Article · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · International Journal of Plant Sciences; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/297098· OSTI ID:6177468

Cheplick, G P ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Wisconsin, Whitewater (United States)

Biotic interactions between plants and microorganisms have the potential to be affected by acidic precipitation. I examined the effect of simulated sulfuric acid rain on the mutualism between a perennial forage grass (Festuca arundinacea) and a fungal endophyte (Acremonium coenophialum). Acid water was supplied as mists sprayed onto leaf surfaces or as water added to the soil for two groups in a greenhouse: one group had high levels of endophyte infection, while the other was predominantly noninfected. Control plants received distilled water (pH 6), while others received sulfuric acid water at pH 4.5 or pH 3. Plants were harvested after 4, 6, 8, and 23 wk. Leaf endophyte infection intensity as measured by hyphal counts was not affected by acid water treatment. Root mass and root: shoot ratios generally decreased with increasing acidity of both foliar sprays and soil water, but shoot mass was mostly not affected. There was a significant pH x infection interaction for plants exposed to acidic foliar sprays for 4 wk; root and shoot mass decreased with acidity, but only for infected plants. It was found that acid rain may be deleterious to tall fescue growth at specific stages of development, but biomass production in response to acid rain is not likely to be influenced by fungal endophytes within mature plants. 55 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6177468
• Journal Information: International Journal of Plant Sciences; (United States), Journal Name: International Journal of Plant Sciences; (United States) Vol. 1; ISSN IPLSE2; ISSN 1058-5893
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOMASS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUNGI
GRAMINEAE
GROWTH
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MICROORGANISMS
PLANTS
PRECIPITATION
RAIN
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SULFURIC ACID
SYMBIOSIS