Effects of endophyte infection on the competitive ability of Achnatherum sibiricum depend on endophyte species and nitrogen availability

Aims The leaves of almost all terrestrial plant species are colonized by endophytic fungi. Compared to agronomic grasses, which usually harbor few endophytes, native grasses generally possess greater endophyte species diversity. Existing studies examining endophyte effects on natural grasses under competition normally considered the infection status (infected or uninfected), and rarely considered endophyte species.