FUNGAL ENDOPHYTES OF ELYMUS CANADENSIS

• US 20080229441A1
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Noble Research Institute, LLC
• Original Assignee: The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
• Inventors: Young, Carolyn, Hopkins, Andy
• Granted Patent: US 7,892,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 800/260
• CPC Class Codes: A01H 17/00 Symbiotic or parasitic combinations including one or more new plants, e.g. mycorrhiza lichens A01H15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 63/30 Microbial fungi; Substances produced thereby or obtained therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/37 from fungi
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/14 Fungi culture of mushrooms A01G18/00; as new plants A01H15/00; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/145 Fungal isolates
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/645 Fungi ; Processes using fungi

Abstract

The invention provides an isolated culture of a Neotyphodium endophyte of an Elymus canadensis host plant, wherein the endophyte reproduces asexually and enhances the agronomic characteristics of the host plant. Methods for inoculating the host plant with the endophyte, for propagating the host-endophyte combination, and for detecting the presence of the endophyte and of its metabolites within a host plant are also described.

Claims

1. An isolated Neotyphodium sp. endophyte selected from the group consisting of:

NFE1000, NFE1001, and NFE1002, cultures of the endophyte having been deposited with NRRL accession numbers NRRL 50005, NRRL 50004, and NRRL 50003, respectively.

2. A synthetic combination of the endophyte of claim 1 and a host plant.

3. A Neotyphodium sp. endophyte in combination with a host grass plant according to claim 2, wherein:

a) the Neotyphodium sp. is an endophyte, cultures of the endophyte having been deposited with NRRL accession numbers NRRL 50005, NRRL 50004, and NRRL 50003, respectively;

b) the host grass plant displays at least equivalent reproductive vigor as a host grass plant identical except for the absence of the endophyte, when compared under identical conditions;

c) the endophyte protects the host grass from pests and/or abiotic stresses; and

d) the host grass or a parental generation of the host grass is artificially inoculated with the endophyte.

4. An endophyte-host combination of claim 2, wherein the host plant is an Elymus canadensis host plant.

5. The combination of claim 3, wherein the combination is achieved by introduction of the endophyte to the host grass by a method selected from the group consisting of:

inoculation, infection, grafting, and seed transmission.

6. An endophyte-host plant combination of claim 3 wherein the abiotic stress is selected from the group consisting of:

water deficiency, nutrient deficiency, heat stress, salt toxicity, aluminum toxicity, and freezing temperatures.

7. An endophyte-host plant combination of claim 3 wherein the biotic stress is selected from the group consisting of:

insect infestation, nematode infestation, and herbivore grazing.

8. Seed of a host grass plant of claim 2 comprising the endophyte of claim 1.

9. A method for propagating an Elymus canadensis-Neotyphodium sp. combination, comprising:

a) producing seed comprising an Elymus canadensis-Neotyphodium sp. combination, by a method comprising;

i) obtaining a Elymus canadensis host grass plant of claim 4; and

ii) harvesting seed from the plant;

the plant or a parental generation of the plant having been inoculated with Neotyphodium sp. endophyte, or the Neotyphodium sp. having been introduced into a parental generation of the plant through crossing and/or backcrossing procedures, cultures of the endophyte having been deposited with NRRL accession numbers NRRL 50005, NRRL 50004, and NRRL 50003;

or

b) vegetatively reproducing Elymus canadensis plant tissue colonized by a Neotyphodium sp., NFE1000, NFE1001, or NFE1002, cultures of the Neotyphodium sp. having been deposited with NRRL accession numbers NRRL 50005, NRRL 50004, and NRRL 50003, respectively.

10. A method for enhancing the growth or reproduction of an Elymus canadensis host grass plant in the presence of a biotic or abiotic stress, comprising:

contacting the host grass plant with a strain of endophyte of Neotyphodium sp., cultures of the endophyte having been deposited with NRRL accession numbers;

NRRL 50005, NRRL 50004, and NRRL 50003, such that the endophyte colonizes the plant.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the host grass plant has enhanced root growth, more tillers, enhanced total biomass, or enhanced seed yield in comparison to an otherwise identical host grass plant lacking an endophyte.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the stress is a biotic stress caused by at least one organism selected from the group consisting of an herbivore, a nematode, and an insect.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the insect to which increased resistance is conferred on the host grass is selected from the group consisting of:

fall armyworm and Russian wheat aphid.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein colonization of the host grass is achieved by introduction of the endophyte to the host grass by a method selected from the group consisting of:

inoculation, infection, grafting, seed transmission, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said stress is selected from the group consisting of a biotic stress, a pest stress, an insect stress, an abiotic stress, and a water deficit stress.

16. A method for detecting the presence of a Neotyphodium sp. endophyte, cultures of the endophyte having been deposited with NRRL accession numbers NRRL 50005, NRRL 50004, and NRRL 50003, comprising:

a) isolating DNA from tissues of a host grass plant comprising the DNA of a Neotyphodium sp. endophyte, cultures of the endophyte having been deposited with NRRL accession numbers;

NRRL 50005, NRRL 50004, and NRRL 50003;

b) analyzing the DNA and

c) detecting the presence of DNA derived from an endophyte Neotyphodium sp., cultures of the endophyte having been deposited with NRRL accession numbers;

NRRL 50005, NRRL 50004, and NRRL 50003.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the host grass plant is Elymus canadensis.

18. An isolated nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

2, SEQ ID NO;

3, SEQ ID NO;

4, SEQ ID NO;

5, SEQ ID NO;

6, and SEQ ID NO;

7.