Scientists at AgResearch and its subsidiary Grasslanz Technology have been trialling the application of these fungi, which live inside certain plants and can provide protective qualities to the plant, in wheat. Modern wheat does not naturally host these endophytes, but some wild grass relatives of modern cereal crops do.
The success of selected endophytes in ryegrass has already been well-documented, with the commercialised AR37 endophyte strain estimated to contribute $3.6 billion to the economy over the life of its 20-year patent.
“The continued use of synthetic chemicals to protect crops against pests and diseases is becoming a more difficult proposition as concerns mount about risks to human health, as regulations change and as some of these chemicals become less effective,” says senior researcher and Grasslanz Technology chief executive, John Caradus.
“The benefit of selected Epichloë endophytes in ryegrass has gone some way to addressing this challenge of chemical use, and it has also given us insights into opportunities to provide similar protection for wheat and other cereal crops.”
“When it comes to wheat, there are challenges in introducing suitable endophytes due to issues of genetic compatibility between the endophyte and the host wheat plant. However, we have been able to work around that through plant breeding techniques that have given us good matches between the wheat and endophyte.”
