Significance of Endophyte Toxicosis and Current Practices in Dealing with the Problem in the United States

Ball, Don

doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-0271-9_62

Cited by 26 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…This situation is in contrast to that found for the same species throughout the New World. In USA (Ball 1997), temperate South America (de Battista et al 1997), Australia (Cunningham et al 1993) and New Zealand (Widdup and Ryan 1992), old populations of tall fescue and perennial ryegrass are typically found to have a high frequency of endophyte infection.…”

Section: Co-adaptationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grasses and Neotyphodium endophytes: co-adaptation and adaptive breeding

Easton

2006

Euphytica

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Neotyphodium endophytes profoundly affect the biology of their host grasses, including the important forage species perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and meadow fescue. The endophytic association is finely balanced, involving adaptation in each associate. The evidence for co-adaptation is discussed. The presence of endophyte, and the difference between endophyte strains, can affect some plant properties more than genetic variation intrinsic to the host. Conversely, host genotype exerts significant influence on the activity of the endophyte. Control of endophyte status is essential in any grass breeding programme, and developing knowledge of endophyte and its role in a herbage association offers new opportunities to grass breeders.

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Section: Co-adaptationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grasses and Neotyphodium endophytes: co-adaptation and adaptive breeding

Easton

2006

Euphytica

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“…There are two general approaches currently being pursued to overcome the fescue toxicity: (i) management options to reduce animal toxicity in current E+ pastures such as interplanting with clovers to dilute the toxins directly in the forage before consumption or control of toxicosis in the animals with drugs, vaccines, feed additives, or detoxification agents (Ball, 1997) and (ii) cultivar improvement to develop either more persistent E− cultivars or E+ cultivars with reduced or nil production of toxic alkaloids (Latch, 1997).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Selection for Persistence in Endophyte‐Free Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue

Bouton

Gates²,

Hoveland

2001

Crop Science

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‘Kentucky 31’, released in 1943, remains the most widely used tall fescue cultivar (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). The fungal endophyte, Neotyphodium coenophialum (Morgan‐Jones & Gams.) Glenn, Bacon & Hanlin comb. nov., which naturally infects Kentucky 31, enhances survival and competitiveness of the grass. However, cattle grazing forage from endophyte‐infected (E+) Kentucky 31 suffer from fescue toxicity because of alkaloids in the forage. A possible strategy to reduce fescue toxicity is cultivar improvement to develop more persistent endophyte‐free (E−) cultivars. The objective of our research was to assess the results of selection with different levels of stress (grazing and competition with bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon L.) to increase persistence and competitiveness within E− Kentucky 31. Populations were selected in the following environments: (i) seeded into bermudagrass and grazed with continuously stocked beef cattle, (ii) seeded into bermudagrass and clipped intermittently with a mower, (iii) seeded into tilled soil and grazed with continuously stocked beef cattle, and (iv) seeded into tilled soil and clipped intermittently with a mower. Populations were developed from the best surviving plants in each selection condition and tested for grazing persistence and competitiveness with bermudagrass. Grazing, especially when combined with bermudagrass competition, created the greatest reduction of persistence. No selected population was found to survive better than E− Kentucky 31 even when tested in the same conditions used during its selection. The E+ checks were the most persistent entries in all testing conditions. These experiments indicate that selection within E− Kentucky 31 for improved persistence will be difficult and may need to be explored on other E− tall fescue germplasm sources, but another strategy may be reinfection with non‐toxic endophyte strains.

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“…E ndophyte infection of tall fescue is a major cause of reduced ruminant animal performance in the USA. Replanting with E− tall fescue is difficult and costly, so the most frequent method of ameliorating the toxicity problem is seeding legumes in E+ tall fescue pastures to dilute the toxic effects (Ball, 1997) With a strong legume component in the sward, this method can be effective, but maintaining an adequate amount of legume in the forage over much of the season is difficult and unreliable. Competition from associated grasses is associated with morphological and physiological differences that respond to changing environmental factors (Chamblee, 1972; Harper, 1978; Haynes, 1980).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungal Endophyte Effects on Production of Legumes in Association with Tall Fescue

1999

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The fungal endophyte, Neotyphodium coenophialum (Morgan‐Jones & W. Gams) Glenn, Bacon & Hanlin (syn. Acremonium coenophialum Morgan‐Jones & W. Gams) is generally considered to enhance the competitive ability of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) with legumes, but substantiating field data are limited. Our objectives were to determine if endophyte infection of tall fescue affects stand density and forage production of (i) red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), ladino clover (T. repens L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) harvested at 3‐wk intervals and (ii) alfalfa at low and high seeding rates harvested at 3‐wk and 9‐wk intervals. The first study compared alfalfa, red clover, and ladino clover in association with ‘Jesup’ E+ (endophyte‐infected) and E− (endophyte‐free) tall fescue, harvested at 3‐wk intervals for 3 yr. The second study had alfalfa broadcast planted at 11.2 and 22.4 kg ha−1 with E+ and E− tall fescue planted broadcast at 11.2 and 22.4 kg ha−1 or in rows at 22.4 kg ha−1. This was harvested at 3‐wk intervals for 3 yr, then at 5‐wk intervals for 1 yr. In the first study, clovers and alfalfa cut at 3‐wk intervals for 3 yr had similar (P > 0.05) legume yields when grown with both E+ and E− tall fescue. In the second study harvested at 3‐wk intervals, E+ tall fescue adversely affected (P < 0.05) the associated alfalfa the second year, and by the third year the yield of alfalfa planted at 22.4 kg ha−1 in mixture with E+ tall fescue was only 71% of alfalfa with E− tall fescue (P < 0.05). Similar differences occurred the next year when cut at 5‐wk intervals. Stands of alfalfa or tall fescue after 4 yr were not affected (P > 0.05) by endophyte. The results suggest that endophyte infection of tall fescue increases competition with legumes, but it may be modified by seeding rates or grass sod density.

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Significance of Endophyte Toxicosis and Current Practices in Dealing with the Problem in the United States

Cited by 26 publications

References 27 publications

Grasses and Neotyphodium endophytes: co-adaptation and adaptive breeding

Grasses and Neotyphodium endophytes: co-adaptation and adaptive breeding

Selection for Persistence in Endophyte‐Free Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue

Fungal Endophyte Effects on Production of Legumes in Association with Tall Fescue

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