Real time PCR setection for fungal endophytes

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Micro-fungi of the genus Neotyphodium are ubiquitous on the landscape of North America. They live inside of approximately 30% of all species in the grass family (Poaceae), and most importantly within the most common species of pasture and turf grasses. These species have large ecological impacts on the biological communities in which they are found, and most of their grass hosts are considered to be invasive species throughout much of their North American ranges. Studying the impacts of these grass-fungi interactions has been limited as, until recently, methods only existed to detect the presence or absence of these fungi, not to quantify their relative abundances. That changed three years ago when my collaborators and I demonstrated that real time (quantitatve) polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) could be used to quickly and accurately quantify these fungal infections. This proposal seeks funding to establish a real time PCR facility for research and graduate student training at the University of Guelph, for use in plant-fungi interaction studies.