This award will support Dr. George C. Carroll of the University of Oregon to conduct collaborative research for one year with Dr. Naohiko Sagara at Kyoto University and Dr. Naliaki Yoshida at the Kyushu Branch of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute in Kumamoto, Japan. They will investigate conifer - gall midge - fungal endophyte associations to test whether the presence of symbiotic endophytes is responsible for preventing insect infestation of the host conifer. Endophytes are a recently discovered group of fungal symbionts which form inapparent infections in the stems and leaves of higher plants. In several cases, endophytic fungi have been shown to deter insect attack or to kill insect larvae within the plant tissues. Study of the conifer - gall midge - endophyte association may have strong practical implications in the forestry industry. Likewise, it will impact on studies of plant-insect interactions in general, including the areas of coevolution, mutualism, and biocontrol. The strong research groups at Kyoto University and the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute will complement Dr. Carroll's expertise on conifer-endophyte systems.
