Tectra - education & training in New Zealand's Wool Industry

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

In the paddock



In the paddock 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 Created: 04 May 2007, Modified: 04 May 2007
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