Suppression of clonal reproduction in bulbous perennial herb <i>Barnardia japonica</i> sterilized by flower‐smut fungi

Flower-smut fungal infection has been widely observed in many plant species. As plants infected with flower-smut fungi exhibit visible changes floral morphology and flower sterility, researchers have intensively studied the effects of disease on sexual reproduction host plants. Although most are clonal perennials, remain unclear. Here, we investigated detrimental a perennial plant, Barnardia japonica. japonica is bulbous fungus Antherospora vaillantii. Diseased healthy bulbs collected from fields at end growing season were individually grown pots for 1 year greenhouse, their annual growth was analyzed, including offspring production. Survival, flowering probability, total bulb mass (i.e., sum parent its living masses) 1-year period comparable between diseased We found marked difference probability reproduction, which 50% lower Additionally, number per than Our results indicate B. japonica, providing new insights into