Contrasting roles of fungal siderophores in maintaining iron homeostasis in Epichloë festucae.

•E. festucae produces two siderophores, epichloënin A (EA) and ferricrocin (FC).•FC is the primary intracellular siderophore during iron sufficiency.•Epichloënin A is secreted as an iron-scavenging molecule.•EA is also the dominant intracellular siderophore when iron access is limited.•EA mitigates oxidative stress during extreme iron starvation.