A survey of ryegrass endophyte (Acremonium loliae) in the U.K. and its apparent ineffectually on a seedling pest

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
SUMMARY: Acremonium loliaeis an endophytic fungus which infects plants of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), an important pasture grass in New Zealand and much of Western Europe. In New Zealand the endophyte–ryegrass association was found recently to give rise to tremorgenic substances (lolitrem A and B), which are the cause of a serious disorder of grazing and domestic livestock there. The endophyte also confers resistance in ryegrass plants to certain insect pests in New Zealand and enhances plant growth even in the absence of pests. In the present work 61 swards at 52 widespread sites in the U.K. were checked for the presence of endophyte mycelium, and it was found in 14 swards, of which 12 were at least 15 years old. ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) tests confirmed that the fungus wasA. loliae.Also, lolitrem B was detected in plants from most of the sites where the mycelium was found; this appears to be the first time this tremorgen has been reported in the U.K. or perhaps in Europe. In a small-plot experiment at two sites with newly sown perennial ryegrass the endophyte appeared to have no effect on infestation by frit fly larvae, a major pest of seedling ryegrass plants. Also, in the present work, the endophyte had no measurable effect on the growth or overwinter mortality of larvae.