The effect of glyphosate, paraquat and paclobutrazol on lolitrem B levels in endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass

Two herbicides (glyphosate and paraquat) and a plant growth regulator (paclobutrazol) were applied to endophyteinfected (Acremonium lolii) perennial ryegrass swards. Subsamples of these swards were then chemically analysed at intervals up to 28 days later for lolitrem B, the compound responsible for perennial ryegrass staggers in domestic livestock. Glyphosate and paclobutrazol had no effect on lolitrem B concentrations. Paraquat applications decreased lolitrem B concentrations in the herbage. Because none of the chemicals tested increased the concentration of lolitrem B in the herbage, they are unlikely to be directly implicated in perennial ryegrass staggers in grazing animals.     

Flow-mediated K+ secretion in horses intoxicated with lolitrem B (perennial ryegrass staggers)

AIM: To investigate the effects of lolitrem B intoxication on renal K⁺ secretion in response to increased tubular flow rates.

METHODS: Results are derived from a repeated measure pilot study of seven horses fed non-perennial ryegrass feed for a week prior to exposing them to perennial ryegrass seed and hay that contained an average of 2 ppm lolitrem B. At the end of the control and treatment period frusemide (1 mg/kg I/V) was administered and serial fractional excretion of K⁺(FEK⁺) and fractional excretion of Na⁺(FENa⁺) calculated. Baseline concentration of aldosterone in plasma, serum K⁺concentration and feed K⁺ concentration were also compared.

RESULTS: Key findings included a reduced change in FEK⁺ from 0 to 15 minutes in response to frusemide administration (p=0.022, Wilcoxon signed-rank test) and a reduced baseline concentration of aldosterone in plasma (p=0.022, Wilcoxon signed-rank test) during the treatment period compared with the control.

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that lolitrem B intoxication reduced flow-mediated K⁺ secretion and interfered with aldosterone production or secretion. However, further investigation is required to validate these findings and to further elucidate the underlying pathophysiology.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Lolitrem B intoxication in horses may cause disruption to electrolyte handling in addition to neurological deficits.     

Association between feeding perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne cultivar Grasslands impact) containing high concentrations of ergovaline, and health and productivity in a herd of lactating dairy cows

Perennial ryegrasses are frequently infected with fungal endophyte (Neotyphodium lolii) to increase the resistance of the plant to insect damage. Unfortunately, a side effect of endophyte infection can be the production of alkaloids, including Lolitrem B and ergovaline, that produce toxic effects in animals. A significant 4.6 litre decrease in milk production in a herd of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows was associated with high concentrations of ergovaline in ryegrass silage. Simultaneously, milk SCC increased significantly over a comparable period and reproductive performance declined. Body condition score and coat condition of cows were adversely affected. Unique aspects of this Case report include; very stable production of the herd over a period of years before and after cessation of feeding silage containing high concentrations of ergovaline; the presence of high concentrations of ergovaline in the silage; and a controlled diet that reduced the risks of variation in feed availability and other sources of toxins. Veterinarians and other farm advisors should be aware of the potential for negative effects on animal health and production of fungal endophyte and the potential for Neotyphodium lolii to produce ergovaline.     

镉胁迫下多年生黑麦草的光合生理响应

以多年生黑麦草为植物材料, 对其进行0(CK),5,10,20 mg/L的Cd²⁺处理6 d,结果表明,Cd²⁺处理显著降低了地上部、地下部的生物量;随着处理浓度的升高,Cd在地上部、地下部的含量显著升高,地上部Cd的分布比例显著升高,地下部Cd的分布比例显著降低,多年生黑麦草对Cd具有超量吸收和转运的能力。在处理的0,0.25,1,3,6 d,测定5 mg/L Cd²⁺处理的多年生黑麦草叶片的气体交换参数、光合色素含量和叶绿素荧光参数,结果表明, Cd²⁺处理未导致光合色素含量的变化,气体交换参数和叶绿素荧光参数均受到显著的影响。处理1 d内,净光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(Gs)和胞间二氧化碳浓度(Ci)具有相同的变化趋势,Pn的下降是由气孔因素导致的。Pn在处理3和6 d分别较未处理显著下降了24.4%和23.4%,非气孔因素对Pn的降低起到了主要作用。蒸腾速率(Tr)在处理1 d较未处理显著上升了74.1%,这有助于Cd向地上部转运。潜在光化学效率(F_v/F₀)在处理的0.25,1,3 d时分别较未处理显著上升了14.4%,21.0%和14.4%。最大光化学效率(F_v/F_m)在处理0.25,1,3 d分别较未处理显著上升了3.1%,3.2%和3.1%。实际光化学效率(ΦPSⅡ)、相对电子传递效率(rETR)和光化学淬灭系数(qP)在处理6 d较未处理显著下降了25.3%,25.3%和21.1%,叶片PSⅡ的光化学反应能力显著降低。非光化学淬灭系数(qN)在处理0.25,1 d分别较未处理显著下降了15.6%,41.5%,随着处理时间的延长,qN值显著升高,起到了光保护的作用。非调节性能量耗散在处理0.25,1 d分别较未处理显著上升了30.8%,37.8%,处理3和6 d下降至与未处理无显著差异。调节性能量耗散在处理1 d比未处理显著下降了36.9%,在6 d时显著上升了17.0%,减轻了光合机构的伤害程度。     

干旱胁迫下水杨酸和内生真菌对多年生黑麦草的影响

本试验研究了温室盆栽条件下带内生真菌(E+)和不带内生真菌(E-)的多年生黑麦草喷施不同浓度水杨酸(SA)后,持续干旱胁迫15 d和对照水分两种条件下,多年生黑麦草的叶片相对含水量(RLWC)、叶绿素含量(Chl)、过氧化物酶(POD)活性、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性、丙二醛(MDA)含量、脯氨酸(Pro)和可溶性糖(SS)含量等生理指标的变化,以明确干旱胁迫下SA和内生真菌对多年生黑麦草的影响。结果表明,在干旱胁迫下,感染内生真菌的多年生黑麦草叶片相对含水量、叶绿素含量、POD活性、SS含量显著(P<0.05)高于未感染内生真菌的多年生黑麦草植株;一定浓度的 SA增加了多年生黑麦草叶片相对含水量、叶绿素含量、POD活性、SOD活性、Pro和SS含量,降低了MDA含量,且最适水杨酸浓度为0.25和0.50 mmol·L^-1;内生真菌与SA互作显著(P<0.05)提高了多年生黑麦草SOD活性、POD活性和叶绿素含量。该结果说明内生真菌与SA都能提高多年生黑麦草的抗旱性,即内生真菌和SA通过提高寄主的渗透调节和活性氧清除系统进而提高了寄主的抗旱性。     

Lolitrem B residue in fat tissues of cattle consuming endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass straw.

Lolitrems are neurotoxins found in endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass. Lolitrems, primarily lolitrem B, are the causative agents of ryegrass staggers in livestock. To guarantee the safety of meat produced from cattle consuming endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass, lolitrem B concentrations in tissues of Japanese Black cattle were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Lolitrem B was not detected in muscle, liver, kidney, or cerebrum of a Japanese Black cow with signs of ryegrass staggers. In contrast, perirenal fat contained 210 ppb lolitrem B. Three cows that received half as much perennial ryegrass straw as the cow with ryegrass staggers showed no clinical signs of ryegrass staggers. However, low concentrations of lolitrem B (less than 150 ppb) were detected in their fat tissue. These observations indicate that human exposure to the neurotoxic effect of lolitrem B through beef is unlikely. The amount of lolitrem B consumed by cattle can be estimated by the determination of lolitrem B in fat tissue.     

铅梯度胁迫对多年生黑麦草幼苗生理生化特性影响

本试验以盆栽黑麦草幼苗为材料,研究了不同的胁迫时间(7,14,21,28 d),不同的铅浓度(500,1 000,1 500 mg/L)对黑麦草的抗氧化酶(SOD、POD)、细胞膜(MDA、相对电导率)及渗透调节物质(SS、Pro)的影响。结果表明,随着铅浓度的增加,黑麦草叶片中的SOD活性变化整体为先上升后下降,在低浓度(500和1 000 mg/L)和短时间(7和14 d)胁迫下SOD活性明显升高,之后快速降低。POD活性随着胁迫时间及铅浓度增加呈显著的下降趋势,在28 d时,1 500 mg/L浓度下,POD活性最低,为45.9 U/g。随着胁迫时间及铅浓度的增加,MDA含量及相对电导率整体呈上升趋势,且MDA含量与铅浓度呈线性正相关(r²>0.96)。可溶性糖(SS)含量变化复杂,在较高浓度及较长时间作用下趋于减少。脯氨酸(Pro)含量在较低铅浓度胁迫下会明显增加,但浓度过高超过黑麦草忍耐极限,就会有所下降。表明黑麦草在重金属铅胁迫中经历了一个忍耐和逐渐受损的过程。     

内生真菌对感染锈病黑麦草生长和生理的影响

在田间条件下对带内生真菌和不带内生真菌球道黑麦草品种被锈菌不同程度感染后的生长、光合特性和生理指标进行测定。结果表明,带内生真菌的植株无论感病轻重,其病叶损失率和植株矮化程度均显著低于不带内生真菌的植株(P<0.05)。并且在轻度和重度病株中,内生真菌可提高黑麦草叶片相对含水量、可溶性糖含量、叶绿素含量,净光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度,叶内游离脯氨酸含量、超氧化物歧化酶与过氧化物酶的活性;同时有效地降低了丙二醛的含量,说明内生真菌的存在可提高寄主黑麦草在田间条件下的抗锈病能力。     

混播草地中多年生黑麦草与白三叶的生长特性及其共存表现

从混播牧草品种，刈牧制度，利用强度及施肥措施等方面综述了多年生黑麦草／白三叶混播草地中，多年生黑麦草分蘖个体和白三叶生长点的生长特性，二者种群产量及其竞争，共存变化的一般表现。指出，在适宜刈牧利用制度下，辅以一定农艺措施（施肥），可以提高白三叶对资源的利用能力和环境适应性，利于混播草地中多年生黑麦草与白三叶的长期稳定共存。     

Ergovaline does not alter the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B

AIM: To investigate a possible interaction between lolitrem B and ergovaline by comparing the incidence and severity of ryegrass staggers in sheep grazing ryegrass (Lolium perenne) containing lolitrem B or ryegrass containing both lolitrem B and ergovaline.

METHODS: Ninety lambs, aged approximately 6 months, were grazed on plots of perennial ryegrass infected with either AR98 endophyte (containing lolitrem B), standard endophyte (containing lolitrem B and ergovaline) or no endophyte, for up to 42 days from 2 February 2010. Ten lambs were grazed on three replicate plots per cultivar. Herbage samples were collected for alkaloid analysis and lambs were scored for ryegrass staggers (scores from 0–5) weekly during the study. Any animal which was scored ≥4 was removed from the study.

RESULTS: Concentrations of lolitrem B did not differ between AR98 and standard endophyte-infected pastures during the study period (p=0.26), and ergovaline was present only in standard endophyte pastures. Ryegrass staggers was observed in sheep grazing both the AR98 and standard endophyte plots, with median scores increasing in the third week of the study. Prior to the end of the 42-day grazing period, 22 and 17 animals were removed from the standard endophyte and AR98 plots, respectively, because their staggers scores were ≥4. The cumulative probability of lambs having scores ≥4 did not differ between animals grazing the two pasture types (p=0.41).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There was no evidence for ergovaline increasing the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B. In situations where the severity of ryegrass staggers appears to be greater than that predicted on the basis of concentrations of lolitrem B, the presence of other tremorgenic alkaloids should be investigated.     

The effects of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) and chicory (Cichorium intybus) when compared with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) on ovine gastrointestinal parasite development, survival and migration

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of birdsfoot trefoil and chicory on parasitic nematode development, survival and migration when compared with perennial ryegrass. In experiment one, sheep faeces, containing 10,385 Cooperia curticei eggs were added to 25 cm diameter pots containing birdsfoot trefoil, chicory or ryegrass, and the pots maintained under optimal conditions for nematode parasite development. Replicate pots of each forage type were destructively sampled on day 8, 16, 20, 28 and 37 to collect the nematode larvae. When forages were compared on a dry matter basis, by day 16 there were 31% and 19% fewer larvae on birdsfoot trefoil and chicory than on ryegrass, respectively (P<0.01). In the second experiment, replicate 1m(2) field plots of birdsfoot trefoil, chicory and ryegrass were sub-sampled on day 14, 21, 35 and 49 for larval counts following the application of sheep faeces containing 585,000 Teladorsagia circumcincta eggs to each plot on day 0. Results showed there were a minimum of 58% and 63% fewer infective stage parasitic larvae on birdsfoot trefoil and chicory, respectively, compared with ryegrass on day 14 and 35 when forages were compared on a forage dry matter, plot area sampled and leaf area basis (P<0.01). Overall, these results indicate that the number of infective stage larvae on birdsfoot trefoil and chicory pasture was reduced by the effect of their sward structure on the development/survival/migration of ovine parasitic nematodes. These effects may be one of the ways in which these forages may affect parasitic infections in grazing livestock.     

不同氮、磷营养水平下紫茎泽兰和多年黑麦草苗期的相对竞争力(简报)

用具有更强竞争力的植物替代控制紫茎泽兰再入侵,是有效治理紫茎泽兰危害的生态恢复途径之一。研究了标准、1/2、1/10氮和磷水平下,多年黑麦草与紫茎泽兰在不同竞争环境中(地上竞争、地下竞争、地上地下全竞争)的苗期相对竞争力表现。标准氮和1/2氮水平下紫茎泽兰的相对竞争力(用相对产量表示)比1/10氮水平下减弱约1倍,而磷素水平变化对其影响不明显;标准氮水平下黑麦草的相对竞争力比1/2氮和1/10氮减弱1倍以上。在不同氮素水平下紫茎泽兰地上部分的相对产量大于地下部分的40%~100%,而磷素营养水平对此无明显影响。在紫茎泽兰株高、根长、地上和地下生物量等生长参数中,减少氮仅使紫茎泽兰地上生物量明显降低,而减少磷则使其各生长参数均明显降低。     

多年生黑麦草转基因育种研究进展

回顾了多年生黑麦草组培再生体系的建立和遗传转化的研究历程和结论,分析了利用转基因技术进行草坪草育种存在的问题, 并对进一步的研究做出展望.     

多年生黑麦草愈伤组织诱导与芽分化的研究

对多年生黑麦草Lolium perenne的2个品种特拉华(Delaware)与尤文图斯(Juventus)进行了愈伤组织诱导以及芽分化的研究.结果表明,在种子和成熟胚2种外植体中,成熟胚的出愈率高,是较好的愈伤诱导材料.愈伤诱导培养基采用MS基本培养基,附加激素4 mg/L 2,4-D 0.025 mg/L 6-BA.特拉华和尤文图斯较适宜的芽分化培养基是MS基本培养基分别附加0.4 mg/L ZT 0.3 mg/L NAA和0.2 mg/L ZT 0.5 mg/L NAA.特拉华在愈伤诱导和芽分化两方面均优于尤文图斯.     

不同氮钾用量对多年生黑麦草草坪的影响

试验阐明了不同氮,钾施用量对多年生黑麦草草坪色泽,密度,均一性及草屑积累量的影响,为草坪的合理营养养护提供了科学的理论依据,研究结果表明,氮肥可明显改善草坪色泽,提高草坪质量,施氮量从３￣１２ｇ／ｍ＾２,可接受的草坪质量持续时间相应为１３￣４８ｄ,多年生黑麦草草屑积累量随施氮量增加而明显增加,草屑积累量与施氮量的关系符合方程：Ｙ＝－０．４４２６Ｘ＾２＋１６．３９２Ｚ＋３９．９２,相关系数Ｒ＾２高达