Incidence of Neotyphodium Endophytes among Naturalized Perennial Ryegrass and Tall Fescue Plants in Northern Japan and Alkaloid Concentration of the Seeds from Infected Plants

Abstract

The incidence of Neotyphodium endophytes was investigated for naturalized perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plants collected from roadsides in northern Japan. Fifty seeds were collected from each of three plants at each site. Ten seeds from each plant were tested for endophyte infection and another 10 seeds from those plants found to be infected were used for the analysis of ergovaline and lolitrem B concentration. Perennial ryegrass was collected from 59 sites and tall fescue from 71 sites. Percentages of infected plants were 10% (18/179) in perennial ryegrass and 15% (32/213) in tall fescue. Average ergovaline concentrations in seeds were 1.86 ppm and 6.27 ppm in peren nial ryegrass and tall fescue, respectively. Average lolitrem B concentration in perennial ryegrass was 1.41 ppm. Concentrations of alkaloids differed markedly among the collected plants. Neither ergovaline nor lolitrem B were detected in seeds from perennial ryegrass plants collected from Fukaura. Existence of infected plants with a low concentration of alkaloid may indicate the possibility of usage as forages by investigating characteristics of the endophyte strains.