title: Ergovaline and lolitrem B concentrations in perennial ryegrass in field culture in southern France: distribution in the plant and impact of climatic factors.
abstract: Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) infected by Epichloë festucae var. lolii contains alkaloids that are responsible for toxicosis in several countries, but few cases are reported in Europe. Lolitrem B is generally the most abundant alkaloid and is recognized to be responsible for livestock staggers, whereas ergovaline is less frequently documented in perennial ryegrass. Lolitrem B and ergovaline were monitored over a three-year period in endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass 'Samson' sown in southern France. Alkaloid concentrations were strongly influenced by the stage of maturity of the plant; maximum concentrations were always measured at the fully ripe stage. Over the three years of analysis, variations in lolitrem B in the whole plant at the fully ripe stage were low (from 1296 to maximum 1871 μg/kg dry matter), whereas ergovaline varied considerably (from 526 to 2322 μg/kg dry matter), suggesting that abiotic factors play a key role in determining ergovaline levels in endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass.
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, UR Mycotoxicologie, F-31076 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Repussard
authors.forename: Nasrallah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zbib
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tardieu
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guerre
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D002980:Climate; D017753:Ecosystem; D060026:Endophytes / Q000502:physiology; D055329:Epichloe / Q000502:physiology; D004879:Ergotamines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005602:France; D026121:Indole Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008129:Lolium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004879:Ergotamines; D026121:Indole Alkaloids; D009183:Mycotoxins; D014118:Toxins, Biological; C076760:ergovaline; C033673:lolitrem B
keywords: BBCH scale; Samson; climatic factors; ergovaline; fungal endophyte (Epichloë festucae var. lolii); lolitrem B; perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne); pluviometry; temperatures