Tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh; Schedonorus phoenix (Scop.) Holub] is the primary cool season perennial grass in the eastern U.S. Most tall fescue contains an endophyte (Neotyphodium coenophialum), which produces ergot alkaloids that cause vasoconstriction and could restrict blood flow to the fetus in pregnant animals. The objective of this study was to examine fetal growth ...

The daily BW gain of stocker steers grazing tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) S.J. Darbysh. = Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort.]-based pastures typically declines during summer. To avoid these declines, in part to mitigate the effects of tall fescue toxicosis, it is commonly advised to move cattle to warm-season forage during this period. A 3-yr (2006, 2007, and 2008) grazing ...

Mutual relationship between pasture grasses and Neotyphodium fungal endophytes is of great importance in grass improvement. Two endophyte containing tall fescue genotypes (75 and 83) and their endophyte free ramets were used in this study. Endophytes were isolated from tall fescue genotypes 75 and 83 and used in three methods of inoculation including Latch and Christensen approach, insertion of...

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is the most important cultivated pasture grass in the USA, occupying over 35 million acres. It is a native of Europe but is of minor importance there. It is not known when tall fescue was first introduced into the USA but it was being tested in several states by the late 1800s (Buckner et al., 1979). However, tall fescue usage remained low until release of the ...

Abscisic acid (ABA) is known to play roles in regulating plant tolerance to various abiotic stresses, but whether ABA's effects on heat tolerance are associated with its regulation of heat stress transcription factors (HSFs) and heat shock proteins (HSPs) is not well documented. The objective of this study was to determine whether improved heat tolerance of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schr...

The development of fungal endophytes of the genus Epichloë in grasses results in the production of different groups of alkaloids, whose mechanism and biological spectrum of toxicity can differ considerably. Ergot alkaloids, when present in endophyte-infected tall fescue, are responsible for "fescue toxicosis" in livestock, whereas indole-diterpene alkaloids, when present in endophyte-infected r...

Tall fescue is widely used in temperate regions throughout the world as a dominant forage grass as well as a turfgrass, in pastoral and turf industry. However, the utilization of tall fescue was limited because of its leaf roughness, poor regeneration ability and poor stress resistance. New cultivars were desirable in modern pastoral industries exceed the potential of existing cultivars. Theref...

Tall fescue and meadow fescue are naturally infected with fungal endophytes, Neotyphodiumcoenophialum and Neotyphodium uncinatum, respectively. Seed traits are an important measureof the effects of the endophytic fungi which has been less addressed. In this study we usedendophyte-infected (EI) and endophyte-free (EF) clones of tall and meadow fescue genotypes inthe field to investigate the effe...

on tall fescue pastures (West et al., 1988; Clay, 1993; Siegel and Bush, 1996), as well as controlling plant disTall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is an important cooleases (Latch, 1997). A variety of alkaloids, N-containing season perennial forage naturally infected with an endophyte, Neotyphodium coenophialum Glenn, Bacon, & Hanlin, which produces ring structures, are produced in the t...

Forages are the base source of nutrition for any cow-calf operation. Forage types vary based on soil type and climate. Tall fescue () is the most commonly used cultivated grass for grazing beef cattle in the United States. This cool-season perennial is easily established; is resistant to drought, insects, and nematodes; and has the ability to withstand heavy grazing pressure. Most tall fescue v...