Foliar endophytes and their toxins in needle & stem tissue of spruce

Endophytes are fungi that live in the tissues of plants without causing damage. In return, ‘good endophytes’ provide a benefit to the plant. The best understood examples are plants with endophytes that produce toxins that increase the tolerance of the plant to insect pests. Over a very long time, some needle endophytes of conifers have been shown to improve the tolerance to the eastern spruce budworm, the most damaging forest insect pest in Canada. During periodic epidemics, this insect kills large numbers of trees in Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes and New England. Another insect that affects trees except as seedlings is the debarking weevil. This kills seedlings after planting by eating the bark. The present study is designed to determine whether the as seedlings, the fungi and their insect toxins are present in inoculated seedlings. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

David Miller

Student:

Partner:

Maritime Innovation Limited

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

Carleton University

Program: