Presented by Sita R. Ghimire at the ILRI BioSciences Day, Nairobi, 27 November 2013

1. Endophytic microbes to enhance Brachiaria productivity in semi-arid environments of
sub Saharan Africa
Sita R. Ghimire
ILRI BioSciences Day, Nairobi, 27 November 2013

2. Livestock in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
• Livelihood of 70% of the smallholder farmers
• Food sources, key inputs to crop production
and income
• Reduces food security risks resulting from
seasonal crop failures
• Low livestock productivity and negligible
productivity growth over the past decades
• Shortage of forages – especially in dry season

3. Brachiaria grasses
• Native perennial grasses of East Africa
Native
• Persistence to grazing
• Tolerant to drought, low pH and aluminum toxicity
• Can grow in marginal land
• High above ground biomass yield (30t DM/ha/yr.)
• Carbon sequestration (5t/ha/yr.)
• Enhance N use efficiency (through BNI) and
minimize GHG
• Extensively grown across the world but NOT in
native homeland - AFRICA

4. The problem: its significance
• Limited availability of forages is a major limitation of
livestock production in SSA
• Climate smart Brachiaria Program
Increase availability of forage through (a) introduction
of improved Brachiaria cultivars, (b) improvement of
local ecotypes, (c) exploration and utilization of
native endophytic microbes, and (d) capacity
buildings.
• Promote native flora as an important forage species
(SLO4), increase milk and meat production (SLO3 and
SLO2), and increase income of farmers (SLO1).

5. Endophyte and plant associated microbes
“All those organisms inhabiting plant organs that at
some time in their life, can colonize internal plant
tissues without causing apparent harm to the host”
(Petrini, 1991)
•
•
•
•
•
Protect against herbivores
Protect against abiotic stress
Produce plant growth-regulating substances
Enhance nutrients uptake and/or solubilization
Suppress or compete with disease-causing
microbes
• Enhance biomass and grain yields
(Kelemu et al., 2001 ; Clay & Schardl, 2002; Schardl et al. 2004; Taghavi et al. 2009;
Rodriguez et al. 2009; Ghimire & Craven, 2011, 2013)

6. Endophyte and forage grasses
Insect Resistance in Rye Grass
(Neotyphodium lolii)
Persistence of Tall Fescue
(N. coenophialum)
1
ENDO 5
EE+
E-
E+
ΔPer
(Tanaka et al. 2005)
(Noble Foundation, OK, USA)

7. Endophyte and forage/bioenergy grass
Ghimire et al. 2009
Fig. 1 Effect of Sebacina vermifera inoculation
on (a) above ground growth of switchgrass
plants after 2 months of inoculation (b) and
root growth after 7 months of inoculation
Ghimire & Craven 2013
Fig. 2 Effect of soil inoculation of two
strains of Sebacina vermifera on the
performance of switchgrass NF/GA993 clonal seedlings six weeks after
inoculation.

8. Endophyte and forage/bioenergy grass
Fig 3. Switchgrass seedlings after exposure
to the mild drought stress. Co-cultivated
seedling with Sebacina vermifera strain
MAFF 305830 (left), with S. vermifera strain
MAFF 305828 (middle) and mockinoculated controls (right).
Table 2. Effect of Sebacina vermifera on switchgrass mean biomass yield under
mild drought stress (means LSD)
65%
45%
(Ghimire & Craven 2011)

9. Endophyte and staple food crop
Harman, 2011
Harman, 2011
Fig 4. Maize crop at the end of the season
in the DRC-Africa from seed treated with
beneficial fungi (right) and with out fungi
(left)
Fig 5. Diagram of the overall effect of
Trichoderma strains, and of other root
colonizing plant symbiotic microbes on
plants and plant productivity.

10. Results – fungal endophyte
Total of 130 fungi, 57 identified
- six Acremonium spp.
Fig 6. Phylogenetic relationships of endophytic fungi of Brachiaria

11. Results – bacterial endophyte
• Forty bacteria isolated,
18 identified - six
genera including
Herbaspirillum, Pantoea
and Pseudomonas
• Microbial culture
collection established
with current inventory
of 77 microbes
Fig 7. Phylogenetic relationships of endophytic bacteria of Brachiaria grasses

12. Results/progress
 Research plot establishment
Brachiaria ecotypes collections
Meta-genome analysis
Biological nitrification inhibition (BNI)
Variety evaluations (demo. plot)
 Production of endophyte - free
Brachiaria clones
Micro propagation
Heat treatment

13. Conclusions and discussion points
• Identified endophytic fungi and bacteria of Brachiaria grasses that are
potentially useful for plant growth promotions and adaptation to climate
change effects.
• These microbes need multiple tests to determine their utility for
agricultural applications.
• Characterization of microbes - needs collaborations
• Policy and regulatory supports

14. Where to from now?
• Characterization of microbes - biochemical, biological and plant
growth promotion; meta-genome and BNI studies to determine role of
Brachiaria on nutrient use efficiency and soil fertility
• Contribution to CGIAR System Level Outcomes - Promote native
grasses (SLO4); increase forage availability then milk and meat (SLO2);
improve nutrition and health (SLO3); increase income and reduce
poverty (SLO1); and CRPs 3.7, 4 and 7.
• Collaboration with national partners and scientist abroad

15. Acknowledgements
Institutions

16. better lives through livestock
ilri.org
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