Avanex Unique Endophyte Technology: Reduced Insect Food Source at Airports

Abstract

Birds and other forms of wildlife are a major issue for airport authorities worldwide, as they can create hazards to operating aircraft. Wildlife "strikes," the majority caused by birds, can cause damage to operating aircraft and in severe cases lead to a loss of human life. Many airfields contain large areas of ground cover herbage alongside their runways that consist of mixtures of grasses, legumes, and weeds that can harbor many invertebrates. Many airfields use insecticides to control insect populations; however, mounting pressure from regional councils and water boards aim to reduce this practice due to ground water runoff and contamination concerns. Avanex Unique Endophyte Technology, a product specifically developed to reduce the attractiveness of airports and surrounding areas to birds, is based on a novel association between a selected strain of Epichloë endophyte and a turf-type tall fescue cultivar. This grass-endophyte association acts through a direct mechanism whereby a negative response in birds is created through taste aversion and postingestion feedback as well as an indirect mechanism by deterring many invertebrates, a food source of many bird species.

Evaluation of ‘Jackal’ AR601 (Avanex) and Kentucky‐31 Endophytic Tall Fescues for Suppressing Types of Invertebrates that Contribute to Bird Strike Hazard at Airports

“…Alkaloids in our field plots followed that pattern, peaking at 1574 and 1631 ppm lolines, and 1073 and 835 parts per billion (ppb) ergot alkaloids, in whole tillers (stems plus leaves) of KY‐31 and Jackal, respectively, concentrations comparable to those previously reported in KY‐31 (Belesky et al, 1988; Rogers et al, 2011; McCulley et al, 2014; Helander et al, 2016). Researchers in New Zealand reported that Jackal AR601 produces >600 ppm of total lolines in aboveground tissues, sometimes exceeding 1200 ppm (Pennell et al, 2015), with higher mean concentrations (1820 ppm and 8300 ppb loline and ergot alkaloids, respectively) in pseudostems than in leaf blades (Pennell et al, 2010). Pseudostems, regardless of cultivar, typically contain higher alkaloid levels than do stems or leaf blades (Lyons et al, 1986), but grass‐feeding herbivores, including insects, typically consume whole tillers or leaf blades.…”

“…Helander et al, 2016). Researchers in New Zealand reported that Jackal AR601 produces >600 ppm of total lolines in aboveground tissues, sometimes exceeding 1200 ppm (Pennell et al, 2015), with higher mean concentrations (1820 ppm and 8300 ppb loline and ergot alkaloids, respectively) in pseudostems than in leaf blades (Pennell et al, 2010). Pseudostems, regardless of cultivar, typically contain higher alkaloid levels than do stems or leaf blades (Lyons et al, 1986), but grass-feeding herbivores, including insects, typically consume whole tillers or leaf blades.…”

“…Insectivorous birds such as gulls ( Larus spp. ), European starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ), and blackbirds (Icteridae) are attracted to open areas with low vegetation and abundant food, so habitat management to reduce invertebrate numbers may be one way to reduce bird presence near runways (Buckley and McCarthy, 1994; Bernhardt et al, 2010; Washburn et al, 2011; Kutschbach‐Brohl et al, 2010; Pennell et al, 2015; Seamans et al, 2015). Use of insect‐resistant endophyte‐infected grasses has been proposed for that purpose (Conover, 1998; Washburn et al, 2007; Pennell et al, 2015).…”

“…A selected strain of E. coenophiala (designated AR601) in the tall fescue cultivar Jackal was recently marketed as a wildlife deterrent product under the trade name Avanex Unique Endophyte Technology (PGG Wrightson Seeds Ltd., Hornby, Christchurch, New Zealand). Avanex is purported to express inordinately high alkaloid levels conveying strong bioactivity to insects and birds (Pennell and Rolston, 2011; Pennell et al, 2010, 2015). Pilot trials conducted in New Zealand by scientists affiliated with the producers of Avanex suggested deterrence to some invertebrates (Pennell et al, 2010, 2015), but Avanex has not been independently evaluated for invertebrate suppression in North America.…”

Sympatric Epichloë species and chemotypic profiles in natural populations of Lolium perenne

“…For example, the persistence of forage cultivars of Lolium perenne or Schedonorus arundinaceus can be improved with Epichloë strains that do not produce alkaloids toxic to livestock, like lolitrem B or ergovaline (Bouton et al, 2002;Moate et al, 2012;Lugtenberg et al, 2016;Saikkonen et al, 2016). In contrast, the presence of those herbivore deterrent alkaloids can be advantageous to enhance the persistence of lawns and sports fields, or to reduce the presence of birds, mice and invertebrates in airports (Pennell et al, 2016). Variation in alkaloid production occuring among strains present in natural populations of grasses can be exploited to obtain strains useful for cultivar improvement (Vázquez de Aldana et al, 2010;Johnson et al, 2013;Young et al, 2013).…”