Grass endophyte researches 8Distribution and morphological characteristics of Neotyphodium sp.grown in Calamagrostis spp.in China

The distribution of Neotyphodium spp. grown in Calamagrostis spp. in the northwest and east parts of China was investigated from 2006 to 2007. Totally 426 of Calamagrostis spp. plants were collected from Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang and Shanghai. In which, 276 samples from the west of China were endophyte free, while noninflorences Calamagrostis sp. in Nanjing and C. epigeios in Huangshan were 100% infected by endophyte. In contrast, C. epigeios in heading period in Nanjing was endophyte free. Morphological properties of isolates were observed and these isolates were different in colony morphology, growth rate and conidia size. Neotyphodium spp. in native Calamagrostis spp. showed abundant diversity. The level of endophyte concentration varied with geographical distribution and host species.