Grass endophytes as a model

The importance of the role of grass endophytes in assisting the growth and persistence of temperate grasses present in pastoral agriculture, native gr asslands and turf is becoming recognised. This paper reviews the salient fa cts known about grass endophytes and their relationships with their hosts. The compounds that endophytes synthesise in their host affect not only the biology of the grass but also influence the pests, diseases and the animal herbivores which feed on it. The selection of special strains of endophytes which overcome some of the aspects of endophytes which are not welcomed by farmers will be discussed. Many grass endophytes can only be transmitted a s mycelium in seed and this is in contrast to fungal endophytes of most oth er plants. In spite of the differences in life cycles of endophytes in gras ses and those in other species of plants the knowledge gained from grass en dophyte research should be of assistance to researchers of endophytes in ot her plants.