Olfactory responses of Argentine stem weevil to herbivory and endophyte-colonisation in perennial ryegrass

Journal of Pest Science - Argentine stem weevil adults (ASW, Listronotus bonariensis) feed on the leaves of agricultural grasses and their larvae mine the pseudostem, causing extensive damage that...     

Impact of novel endophytes in perennial ryegrass on herbage production and insect pests from pastures under dairy cow grazing in northern New Zealand

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) infected with a novel endophyte (AR37 or AR1), Wild‐type endophyte or no endophyte (Nil) was sown with white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in autumn 2005. The pastures were rotationally grazed by dairy cows from 2005–2009. Annual dry matter (DM) yield did not differ but AR37 pastures had a higher ryegrass tiller density, especially after the 2008 summer drought (+130%), and less white clover than did AR1 pastures. Concentrations of alkaloids produced by the Wild‐type association (lolitrem B, ergovaline) followed the same seasonal trends as did the AR37 alkaloids (epoxy‐janthitrems) but summer drought reduced concentrations of lolitrem B and epoxy‐janthitrems to less than half the mid‐summer (February) peak concentrations in the other years. Insect pests were monitored annually between 2006 and 2009. Tiller damage by Argentine stem weevil (Listronotus bonariensis (Kuschel)) was significantly reduced by all endophyte treatments. African black beetle (Heteronychus arator (F.)) populations in soil samples increased during the experiment with Nil > AR1 > Wild‐type = AR37. Root aphid (Aploneura lentisci (Pass.)) infestations followed the pattern AR1 > Nil > Wild‐type = AR37. A lower pest pressure from all insect pests in AR37 pastures is likely to have contributed to this treatment having the highest ryegrass tiller densities.     

Influence of different forage grasses on nitrate capture and leaching loss from a pumice soil

Nitrogen (N) uptake and loss in leachate from a pulse of ¹⁵N-labelled synthetic cow urine applied to a pumice soil were compared in a glasshouse lysimeter experiment among the grass species, Agrostis capillaris , Dactylis glomerata , Phalaris aquatica , Lolium multiflorum , L . perenne and a L . multiflorum/A. capillaris mixture. In addition, four L. perenne treatments investigated the effect of infection by Neotyphodium lolii strains. Leachate volumes and leachate nitrate concentrations were measured. At final harvest 24 weeks after sowing, dry matter (DM) mass of shoots and roots, plant N and ¹⁵N contents, soil residual mineral N, and root diameters and lengths were measured. Endophyte had no effect on plant or nitrate variables. Lysimeters planted with L . perenne (pooled endophyte treatments) leached 48 mg of NO₃-N compared with <3 mg N for the other grasses. Recovery of ¹⁵N was highest in A. capillaris (0·99), followed by D. glomerata and P. aquatica (0·89), the L . multiflorum / A. capillaris mixture (0·87), L . multiflorum (0·60) and L . perenne (0·44). Low ¹⁵N recoveries and high leaching losses from L . perenne were associated with low plant and root masses of DM and low rooting depth. High aerial mass of DM, root systems extending below 20 cm and high root masses of DM in lysimeters with A. capillaris , P. aquatica and D. glomerata contributed to a high rate of nitrate interception by these species and low leachate losses. The L . multifloru m/ A. capillaris mixture was intermediate between the two species for most of the variables measured.     

A review of the Neotyphodium lolii / Lolium perenne symbiosis and its associated effects on animal and plant health, with particular emphasis on ryegrass staggers

Abstract Ryegrass staggers is a seasonal mycotoxicosis of grazing livestock characterised by tremors, in coordination and a staggering gait almost unaccompanied by physical lesions. Deaths occur only as a consequence of accident or starvation. Outbreaks, in summer and autumn, occur only on pasture in which endophyte (Neotyphodium lolii)-infected perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) predominates and usually on which animals are grazed intensively. Animals recover when moved to a different type of grazing or after rain has promoted pasture growth. The disease was recognised for 80 years before its cause was discovered as a consequence of a grazing trial of sheep on three ryegrass cultivars which happened to have three different levels of endophyte infection. The endophyte was first formally described as Acremonium loliae, later corrected to Acremonium lolii, and was finally placed in the genus Neotyphodium. It produces a number of secondary metabolites of which lolitrem B is the principal one causing ryegrass staggers symptoms. Ergopeptides are also produced which cause heat stress and lack of productivity. N. lolii is symptomless in the plant, seed borne and grows intercellularly in the aerial parts, mainly in reproductive tillers and leaf sheaths but sparsely in leaf blades. It dies in stored seed and infection rates of different ryegrass cultivars have depended on seed storage times during their production. In addition, N. Lolii produces insect feeding deterrents, among them peramine, which protects infected plants from pest predation. Because of this, control of ryegrass staggers by elimination of endophyte-infected ryegrass is not feasible in areas in which insect predation is a serious pasture problem. However, N. lolii strains vary in the secondary metabolites they produce allowing the selection of strains that produce desirable metabolites. By inoculating such strains into uninfected ryegrass plants it is possible to produce cultivars which do not cause ryegrass staggers but resist insect predation. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the current understanding of the N. lolii / L. perenne symbiosis, the toxins it is known to produce, their effects on animals and plants and the strategies used to control their ill effects while maximising their beneficial ones.