Skip to content Skip to navigation
UMass Collegiate M The University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Visit
  • Apply
  • Give
  • Search UMass.edu
Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

Integrating research and outreach education from UMass Amherst

  • About
    • Overview of CAFE
    • Be Ambitious!
    • History
    • Strategic Directions
    • Research & Outreach Interest Areas
    • UMass Extension Board of Public Overseers (BoPO)
    • Partners
    • Locations
    • Faculty & Staff Directory
    • Contact Information
    • Civil Rights Information
    • Employment Opportunities
  • Extension
    • Extension Outreach Overview
    • UMass Extension In Your Community
    • CAFE Extension Faculty
    • Extension Outreach Projects
    • Extension Initiative Reports
  • Programs
    • Extension Programs Overview
    • 4-H Youth Development
    • Clean Energy Extension
    • Climate Change
    • Cranberry Station
    • Crops, Dairy, Livestock and Equine
    • Food Science Extension
    • Fruit
    • Greenhouse Crops and Floriculture
    • Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry
    • Nutrition Education
    • Turf
    • Value-Added Food
    • Vegetable
  • Research
    • Mass Agricultural Experiment Station
    • Information About Accessing Research Funds
    • Research Projects
    • NIFA Integrated Research and Outreach Initiatives
    • Civil Rights Information & Resources
    • Summer Scholars Program
    • REEU Internship Program
  • Resources
    • Resources Overview
    • Interest Areas
    • Extension Sales Portal
    • Agriculture & Commercial Horticulture
    • Community & Economic Vitality
    • Disaster Preparedness
    • Food Safety
    • Home Lawn & Garden
    • Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
    • Land Conservation Tools
    • Pollinators
    • Tick Testing Resources
    • Urban Agriculture
  • Services
    • Services Overview
    • Pesticide Education
    • Plant Diagnostics Laboratory
    • Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory
    • Hot Water Seed Treatment
    • Environmental Analysis Laboratory
  • Farms
    • Farms and Facilities Overview
    • Cold Spring Orchard Research and Education Center
    • Cranberry Station
    • Crop and Animal Research and Education Farm
    • Equine and Livestock Research and Education Farm in Hadley
    • Joseph Troll Turf Research Center
  • News & Events
    • Center News
    • Upcoming Events
    • News from the Media
    • Faculty/Staff Brief Bios
    • Spotlight Stories
    • Video Gallery

Endophyte-Enhanced Grasses

Turfgrass infected with non-pathogenic (non-disease causing) fungal endophytes may help meet demands for reduced pesticide use and for lower inputs in maintenance of turf and production of sod. Discovery of the symbiotic relationship between these fungi and turfgrasses occurred when cattle grazing on infected grass developed symptoms such as delirium and “livestock staggers.” At the same time, infection with endophytic fungi, which occurs naturally on over 15 million acres of grassland throughout the U.S., results in turfgrasses with higher overall vigor and insect resistance compared with non-endophytic varieties. As such, endophyte-enhanced turfgrasses may be used as a low input, biological control option for sustainable turf care programs.

Life Cycle/History

The term “endophytic” refers to a situation where one organism lives inside another. In this case, a fungus and grass form a relationship that is mutually beneficial and enhances the success of each. The fungal endophytes Neotyphodium coenophialum and N. lolii show no visible signs on their fescue and perennial ryegrass hosts in a mown turf. These endophytes are transferred from plant to plant via seed. The mycelium of the fungus then grows into the sheath, stem, and leaf tissues of the developing grass seedling and maturing plant. Finally, the fungal endophyte enters the flowering stem and seed. Through the seed the endophyte is passed to the next generation of turfgrass plants.

Plant Growth, Persistence, and Stress Tolerance

Endophyte-infected grasses tend to be comparatively vigorous, especially under conditions of minimal fertilization and irrigation. Infected plants produce greater numbers of tillers and roots making them more drought-tolerant, more competitive with weed species, able to recover more rapidly from injury, and generally more persistent in the field. The higher performance is particularly notable under stressful conditions, such as high temperature, and nutrient and water deficiency. The result is a grass that is highly suitable for medium to low input situations.

Resistance to Insects and Other Pests

Endophytic grasses have shown high resistance to foliar-feeding insects such as billbugs, chinch bugs, sod webworms, and fall armyworms. Biologically active alkaloids are found only in infected grasses. The insecticidal effects produced by these compounds deter insects from feeding or cause “antibiosis” effects which alter the life cycle of the insect. The result is an ultimate decline in the population. Alkaloid levels in the roots are low and therefore, endophytes are not effective against root feeders such as white grubs.

Endophyte-Infected Cultivars

There is an increasing number of endophyte-infected, improved cultivars of tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescues. Combinations of these varieties are often marketed as low maintenance mixtures. Despite attempts to incorporate endophytic fungi into Kentucky bluegrass and bentgrasses, these high quality grasses are still endophyte free.

In order to maintain the viability of the endophyte, seeds must be stored at cool temperatures (approx. 40°F) and under dry conditions. Even under excellent storage conditions, the percent of viable endophyte in a seed lot will decline over time.

Buyers should be aware that the amount of endophyte within a specific cultivar can vary in amount from season to season depending on the conditions prevailing during the growing and harvest of the turfgrass seed.

Endophyte-Infected Grasses for Use in IPM Programs

Use of endophytic grasses provides a self-sustaining biological control option for turf. Outbreaks of insect and other pests may be prevented or minimized as a result of the insecticidal effects resulting from the interaction as well as to the vigorous nature of turf growth. The enhanced tolerance to stresses, as compared with non-endophytic varieties, makes endophyte-infected grasses particularly suitable for low budget, low input, low maintenance situations. Endophytic grasses may form an integral part of an IPM strategy for turf in that they can withstand a range of mowing, fertilization, and irrigation practices. These grasses are also compatible with the use of most insecticides and herbicides, and are only temporarily affected by fungicides.

--

Revised: 05/2011

Last Updated: May 1, 2011

Home Lawn & Garden Resources

  • Overview
  • Fact Sheets
    • Flower Fact Sheets
    • Fruit Fact Sheets
    • Lawn Fact Sheets
    • Trees & Shrub Fact Sheets
    • Vegetable Fact Sheets
    • Wildlife Management
  • Garden Clippings Newsletters
  • Food Gardening in Massachusetts 2020

Home Lawn & Garden Resources for fact sheets, newsletters, and photos

  • Overview
  • Fact Sheets
    • Flower Fact Sheets
    • Fruit Fact Sheets
    • Lawn Fact Sheets
    • Trees & Shrub Fact Sheets
    • Vegetable Fact Sheets
    • Wildlife Management
  • Garden Clippings Newsletters
  • Food Gardening in Massachusetts 2020

Subscribe to
Home Gardener Email List

Home Lawn & Garden Information »

Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

 

Stockbridge Hall,
80 Campus Center Way
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003-9246
Phone: (413) 545-4800
Fax: (413) 545-6555
ag [at] cns [dot] umass [dot] edu (ag[at]cns[dot]umass[dot]edu)

 

Civil Rights and Non-Discrimination Information

College of Natural Sciences

Login for faculty and staff

CAFE Units

Mass. Agricultural Experiment Station

UMass Extension

UMass Research and Education Center Farms

UMass Cranberry Station

Water Resources Research Center

Interest Areas

Agriculture

Commercial Horticulture

Energy

Environmental Conservation

Food Science

Nutrition

Water

Youth Development & 4-H

Services

Pesticide Education

Plant Diagnostics Laboratory

Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory

Hot Water Seed Treatment

Water Testing / Environmental Analysis Laboratory

Projects

Conservation Assessment Prioritization System (CAPS)

Extension Risk Management/Crop Insurance Education

Mass. Envirothon

Mass. Herp Atlas

Mass. Keystone

MassWoods

North American Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative

RiverSmart

UMass Design Center in Springfield

Resources

Extension Sales Portal

Agriculture & Commercial Horticulture Resources

Community & Economic Vitality

Disaster Preparedness

Food Safety

Home Lawn & Garden

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Land Conservation Tools

Pollinators

Tick testing

Resources for Faculty and Staff

Extension Programs

4-H Youth Development

Agriculture

Crops, Dairy, Livestock and Equine

Fruit

Greenhouse Crops and Floriculture

Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry

Pesticide Education

Turf

Vegetable

Clean Energy

Climate Change

Food Science

Nutrition Education

Value-Added Food

Seal of The University of Massachusetts Amherst - 1863
©2025 University of Massachusetts Amherst · Site Policies · Accessibility