Comparison of Plant Metabolites in Root Exudates of Lolium perenne Infected with Different Strains of the Fungal Endophyte Epichloë festucae var. lolii

Lolium perenne infected with the fungal endophyte Epichloë festucae var. lolii have specific, endophyte strain-dependent, chemical phenotypes in their above-ground tissues. Differences in these chemical phenotypes have been largely associated with classes of fungal-derived alkaloids which protect the plant against many insect pests. However, the use of new methodologies, such as various omic techniques, has demonstrated that many other chemical changes occur in both primary and secondary metabolites. Few studies have investigated changes in plant metabolites exiting the plant in the form of root exudates. As root exudates play an essential role in the acquisition of nutrients, microbial associations, and defense in the below-ground environment, it is of interest to understand how plant root exudate chemistry is influenced by the presence of strains of a fungal endophyte. In this study, we tested the influence of four strains of E. festucae var. lolii (E+ (also known as Lp19), AR1, AR37, NEA2), and uninfected controls (E−), on L. perenne growth and the composition of root exudate metabolites. Root exudates present in the hydroponic water were assessed by untargeted metabolomics using Accurate-Mass Quadrupole Time-of-Flight (Q–TOF) liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). The NEA2 endophyte strain resulted in the greatest plant biomass and the lowest endophyte concentration. We found 84 metabolites that were differentially expressed in at least one of the endophyte treatments compared to E− plants. Two compounds were strongly associated with one endophyte treatment, one in AR37 (m/z 135.0546 RT 1.17), and one in E+ (m/z 517.1987 RT 9.26). These results provide evidence for important changes in L. perenne physiology in the presence of different fungal endophyte strains. Further research should aim to connect changes in root exudate chemical composition with soil ecosystem processes.