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Tissue Print-Immunoblot, an Accurate Method for the Detection of Acremonium coenophialum in Tall Fescue. K. D. Gwinn, Assistant professor, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville 37901-1071; M. H. Collins-Shepard, B. B. Reddick. Research associate, and associate professor, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville 37901-1071. Phytopathology 81:747-748. Accepted for publication 22 February 1991. Copyright 1991 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-81-747.

Distribution of the endophytic fungus, Acremonium coenophialum, within tissues of infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) can be determined with tissue print-immunoblot (TPIB); however, the accuracy of this method in the determination of endophyte infestation levels of pastures and seed lots has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to compare TPIB to other methods used for endophyte detection. Seed lots of known endophyte infestation levels were tested with TPIB. Percentage endophyte infestation did not differ significantly from the expected values. Also, no significant differences were found between results of protein A-sandwich ELISA and TPIB tests when both were used to estimate endophyte infestation levels in pastures. Therefore, accuracy of TPIB is comparable to other endophyte detection techniques and can be used for routine detection of endophyte in tall fescue tissues.