Silicon (Si) is taken up from the soil as monosilicic acid by plant roots, transported to leaves and deposited as phytoliths, amorphous silica (SiO2) bodies, which are a key component of anti-herbivore defense in grasses. Silicon transporters have been identified in many plant species, but the mechanisms underpinning Si transport remain poorly understood. Specifically, the extent to which Si up...

Pooideae species. While for several species the most important allergens (group 1 and group 5) have been identified, other allergens have either not been identified or sequence data are still missing. We have used mass spectrometry (MS) together with genetic and immunological methods to identify allergens in various grass pollen extracts. Methods: Pollen extracts of 6 different grass species (P...

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is an important cool season forage plant that is not well suited to extreme heat, salts, or heavy metals. To develop transgenic tall fescue plants with enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress, we introduced an alfalfa Hsp23 gene expression vector construct through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Integration and expression of the transgene were confi...

The grass Ammophila breviligulata (American beachgrass) is known to host an endophyte of the genus Epichloë. Based on morphological characteristics it was originally identified as Acremonium typhinum var. ammophilae and is currently designated as Epichloë typhina var. ammophilae. However, the Epichloë species has not previously been identified based on DNA sequence data. Based on phylogenetic p...

The efficient preservation of protein in silage for livestock feed is dependent on the rate and extent proteolysis. Previous research fresh forage indicated enhanced stability certain Festulolium (ryegrass × fescue hybrids) cultivars compared to ryegrass. This first report an experiment test hypothesis that a Lolium perenne Festuca arundinacea var glaucescens cultivar had reduced proteolysis pe...

Native grasses are increasingly popular and valuable tools for revegetation, erosion control, and wildlife habitat improvement. Many have unique features and benefits that make them advantageous over certain exotic and introduced grasses. In the field of ecological restoration, they are a critical and required component of the target plant community, ecosystem, or natural habitat. A number of n...