Tall Fescue and Endophyte Genetics Influence Vertical Transmission and Seed Characteristics Under Climate Change Scenarios

Cool season grasses, including tall fescue, are dominant plants within managed grassland systems. A symbiotic relationship between tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) and the fungal endophyte Epichloë coenophiala can affect grassland response to perturbations, including changing rainfall patterns and increasing temperatures associated with climate change. Because E. coenophiala reproduces asexually, there is concern that climate change may negatively impact vertical transmission, resulting in subsequent fescue stands with lower infection frequencies and reduced grassland resiliency. This 3-year field study evaluated the impact of increased temperature, altered precipitation, and their combination on vertical transmission, seed number, and seed weight in tall fescue clones containing common toxic (CTE) or novel nonmammalian toxic (NTE) E. coenophiala. NTE clones exhibited greater transmission than CTE clones. Temperature did not affect transmission, but altered precipitation reduced transmission in CTE clones. On average, NTE clones responded to increased temperatures by reducing seed number, while CTE clones responded oppositely. NTE clones produced seeds of similar masses across all growing years, suggesting greater stability under varying environmental conditions. Our work illustrates that both plant and endophyte genetics influence vertical transmission and that climate change is unlikely to significantly impact endophyte transmission in the southeastern transition zone of the United States.