Effects of Epichloe festucae Fungal Endophyte Infection on Drought and Heat Stress Responses of Strong Creeping Red Fescue

Strong creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra ssp. rubra) is an important cool season turfgrass species. Cultivars are often infected with the fungal endophyte Epichloe festucae. Endophyte infection is known to confer insect and disease resistance to the plants. The effect of endophyte infection on drought or heat stress tolerance of strong creeping red fescue is not yet established. The objectives of this controlled-environment study were to determine if endophyte infection had any effect on physiological parameters associated with plant tolerance to drought or heat stress or the combination of the two stresses. In this study, endophyte status had no effect on turf quality (TQ), relative water content (RWC), photochemical efficiency, chlorophyll content, electrolyte leakage (EL), or malondialdehyde (MDA) content of the plants under any of the stress treatments. Our results suggested that E. festucae infection had no physiological effects on improving drought, heat or the combined stress tolerance in strong creeping red fescue.