Effect of Epichloe endophytes on the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi community associated with grasses

Epichloe endophytes and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), are symbionts commonly present in grasses of the subfamily Pooideae. Studies in native grasses have shown that endophyte-infected (E+) plants present higher colonization of AMF than those endophyte-free (E-), suggesting a positive association between AMF and Epichloe endophytes. We performed a field trial to study if the ecotype of the grass Bromus auleticus or its association with Epichloe correlates with differences in the AMF communities in the rhizosphere. Our results show that endophyte infection did not affect the diversity and community structure of AMF in the rhizosphere of the host. However, there were differences between ecotypes.