Alkaloid Levels in Reed Canarygrass Grown on Wet Meadows in British Columbia

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Abstract
Hordenine, gramine and 5-methoxy-N-methyltryptamine (5MMT) were identified as the major basic alkaloids in reed canarygrass grown on wet meadows in Interior British Columbia. The concentrations of these anti-quality constituents, determined sequentially at 4 field locations, were exceptionally low compared with levels found for reed canarygrass grown under growth room conditions. Under field conditions, for example, 5MMT levels did not exceed 250 .mu.g/g (dry wt), whereas a peak level of 4250 .mu.g/g 5MMT was recorded from the growth room. Depressed alkaloid levels under wet meadow field conditions were observed in all varieties tested including 2 experimental varieties, one registered variety and a commercial type. Low alkaloid levels on wet meadows apparently coincided with fewer types of alkaloids: 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5DMT) was not detected under field conditions but it was present in all reed canarygrass samples analyzed from the growth room. Field applications of fertilizer (NPK) apparently had marginal effects on alkaloid levels. On wet meadows gramine and 5MMT concentrations increased toward the end of the growing season, but low total alkaloid levels were still maintained. The factor of soil moisture stress is reviewed in relation to alkaloid levels in reed canarygrass. Recently developed scanning procedures were used to determined concentrations of gramine and 5MMT. New TLC fluorescence methods were devised for the quantitative determination of hordenine and 5DMT in reed canarygrass.