Mycorrhizal fungi compromise production of endophytic alkaloids, increasing plant susceptibility to an aphid herbivore.
ABSTRACT.- Symbiosis plays a critical role in plant biology. Temperate grasses often associate with several symbiotic fungi simultaneously, including Epichloë endophytes and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, in shoots and roots, respectively. These symbionts often modulate plant-herbivore interactions by influencing nutritional traits (i.e. AM fungi-mediated nutrient uptake) and/or the secondary chemistry (i.e. endophytic alkaloids) of their host plant.