Ryegrass endophytes

Key points

• Endophytes are fungi that exist inside plants.
• They produce a wide range of compounds. The main ones are peramine, lolitrem B and ergovaline.
• Peramine helps protect plants from insect attack, especially Argentine stem weevil.
• Lolitrem B is a neurotoxin that causes ryegrass staggers in animals.
• Ergovaline lowers blood prolactin levels and causes heat stress.
• Some of these chemicals, in combination with other as yet unidentified compounds, depress intake and liveweight gain, and cause scouring and dags in sheep.
• Non-toxic strains of endophyte have been identified.
• The most promising, AR1, produces peramine and is commercially available. It protects the plant from insect attack and has no ill-effects on grazing animals.

For further information please download the attached PDF Ryegrassendophytes.pdf