Grasslanz Technology Limited

Grains Research and Development Corporation

Tottori University

Wayne Roydon Simpson

Richard David Johnson

David Edward Hume

Maurice Philip Rolston

Hisashi Tsujimoto

Stuart Douglas Card

Stuart Card

The present invention relates to isolated strains ofendophytes that form stable symbiotic associations with cereal grasses, particularly wheat, wherein the symbiotic associations are combinations of endophytes and host plants that are not found in nature The invention also relates to methods of identifying and/or selecting fungal endophytes that form stable symbiotic associations with wheat plants including methods of screening for fungal endophytes that form stable symbiotic associations with wheat plants, and to methods of screening for wheat plants that form stable symbiotic associations with fungal endophytes.

Endophyte screening

The present invention relates to isolated strains ofendophytes that form symbiotic associations with host plants, wherein the symbiotic associations are combinations of endophytes and host plants that are not found in nature. The invention also relates to combinations of host plants andendophytes that are not found in nature, methods of making such combinations and methods of conferring at least some level of pest resistance on a host plant using such endophytes.

endophyte

The present invention relates to at least one epichloae fungal endophyte strain combined with at least one species ofspp., which confers at least some level of pest protection on thespp. plant. In particular, the invention relates to an isolated strain of epichloae fungal endophyte selected from the group consisting of AR3039 (NRRL# 50716), AR3046 (NRRL# 50576), AR3049 (NRRL#50577), AR3050 (NRRL# 50578), AR3064 (NRRL# 50718), AR3067 (NRRL# 50719), AR3068 (NRRL# 50720), AR3073 (NRRL# 50721), AR3074 (NRRL# 50722), AR3076 (NRRL# 50723), and AR3078 (NRRL# 50724), and combinations thereof; aspp. plant infected with a fungal endophyte whereinspp. is not a natural host of the endophyte; a method of making a stable host plant/epichloae fungal endophyte combination; a method of conferring at least some level of pest protection on a hostspp. plant; and aspp. seed infected with an epichloae fungal endophyte.

Fungal endophytes

Described is the method and use of AR584 endophyte (AGAL deposit no. NM98/04676 dated 12 May 1998) or variations in endophyte as exemplified by AR584, to produce a grass cultivar and AR584 combination wherein the plant or a part thereof produced by the combination retains viable AR584 endophyte after treatment with fungicide and/or after being subjected to elevated temperature or humidity.

Growing community of inventors

Palmerston North, New Zealand

Wayne Roydon Simpson