Ergovaline is an ergot alkaloid produced by the symbiotic endophyte Epichloë coenophiala, which can colonize varieties of the cool-season grass tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). It is the principle toxicant responsible for the vasoconstrictive and reproductive sequelae seen in "fescue toxicosis" in livestock which consume forage exceeding the threshold of toxicity established for this compound...

The presence of an endophytic fungus, Acremonium coenophialum, in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) deterred aphid feeding by Rhopalosiphum padi and Schizaphis graminum. Both species of aphid were unable to survive when confined to endophyte-infected tall fescue plants. Feeding deterrents and toxic factors to R. padi and Oncopeltus fasciatus, large milkweed bug, were primarily associated with a...

Reduced pregnancy rates often occur in ruminants grazing endophyte-infected (EI) tall fescue. The objectives were to characterize basal and oxytocin-induced PGF2a concentrations in serum and reproductive function in ewes fed tall fescue seed and to determine whether addition of fish meal (FM) to a diet of EI fescue would alter PGF2a production. Ewes were fed a diet with novel or non-toxic endop...

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 ...

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...

abstract the lack of water is the most important problem in extensive landscape especially turfgrass in arid and semi arid regions. the root responses in native and commercial grasses under drought stress were investigated. this experiment was in a factorial experiment based on unbalanced completely random design on the year 2006. the specious that we used in this experiment included (i) commer...