Effects of seed hydropriming on growth of Festuca sinensis infected with Neotyphodium endophyte

The interactive effects of a Neotyphodium endophyte and hydropriming on Festuca sinensis seeds were determined within a germination cabinet and under greenhouse conditions. Seed germination was optimized by an imbibition period of 15–30 min. Endophyte combined with hydropriming significantly (P < 0.05) promoted interim germination (at osmotic potentials of ?0.3 to ?0.6 MPa), germination rate (?1.2 MPa), vigor index of seeds (0 to ?1.2 MPa), length of coleoptile and radicle (?0.3 to ?1.2 MPa) and seedling dry weight (0 to ?1.2 MPa). Based on a long-term growth experiment, their interactive effects resulted in significant (P < 0.05) increases of above-ground dry weight, seedling heights during week 7–13 and tiller and leaf number during week 11–13 (P < 0.05), and greatly (P < 0.05) increased leaf elongation during week 7–11. Presence of the Neotyphodium endophyte combined with a seed hydropriming treatment is an effective strategy to improve seed germination and plant growth of F. sinensis.