Leadership in endophyte technology

Taking endophytes from discovery to on-farm use

 

Discovery

  • Identify and classify endophyte strains
  • How strains relate to one another
  • Obtain an understanding of chemical compounds present and relativity to standards in industry.

Chromatograms (HPLC) for lolitrems and epoxy-janthitrems in endophyte infected herbage
endophyte graph

Dendogram of genetic relationship of endophytes of fescues and perennial ryegrass
dendogram

cross sectionCross section through a perennial ryegrass tiller infected with a N. lolii strain genetically modified to express a green florescent protein. The endophyte strands, cut at right angles, appear as green dots. In this tiller few hyphae are present in the developing leaf blade. The red colour comes from chlorophyll.

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Commercialisation

  • commProducts - AR1, Endo5, AR37, MaxP®, MaxQ®
  • Technology patented or PVR
  • Technology available in the following countries
    - New Zealand
    - Australia
    - USA
    - Chile

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Development

  • Screen endophyte strains for tolerance/resistance of major temperate forage insect pests agronomoically
  • Evaluate in range of environments and management
  • Tested for animal performance and safety

ARI RYEGRASS ENDOPHYTE

How endophyte benefits lamb production
Grow rates (g/day) of lambs grazing different endophyte treatments

(Source: Lester Fletcher, 2004. Managing ryegrass/endophyte toxicoses. Proceedings of the 5th International Grass/Endophyte Interactions Symposium. In press)

  Mean of 8
ryegrass cultivars with AR1
Nui ryegrass without endophyte Nui ryegrass with wild-type endophyte % increase over wild-type endophyte
Summer/Autumn
lamb growth rate
170 150 102 67%
LSD @ 5% 48.5 g/day

How AR1 endophyte benefits dairy production, compared with wild-type endophyte.
Seasonal milksolids production (kg/cow) over three seasons under rotational grazing of AR1 and wild-type endophyte pasture in the Waikato.

(source: S.J. Bluett et al., 2003. Milksolids production from cows grazing perennial ryegrass containing AR1 or wild endophyte. Proceedings of the NZ Grassland Association 65: 83-90.)

Season AR1 Wild-type % increase over wild-type endophyte Significance
Spring
Milksolids
157 147 6.8%
Summer Milksolids 110 103 6.8% * *
Autumn Milksolids 50 44 13.6% * *
Total
Milksolids
318 292 8.9% * *
Spring: July-Nov; Summer: Dec-Feb; Autumn: Mar-May
NS = not significant; † = P<0.1; * = P<0.05; P<0.01

Max Q® TALL FESCUE ENDOPHYTE

2-year test result:                                                 Max Q® KY31
cows1
average finish weight


average starting weight
cows2
average weight gain                       191 lb 89 lb
2-year return per acre                    US $328.10 US $153.37
At an initial establishment cost for MaxQ® of US$80 per acre (@ 20 lb per acre seeding rate), the additional profit from grazing MaxQ® is US$94.73 per acre.
     
rw Ryegrass with AR1 tfw Tall fescue with Max P rw Ryegrass with AR6

plots

Green plots AR1
Bare plots Nil endophyte
 

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Licensing Novel Endophytes

  • step oneSTEP ONE (INOCULATE)
  • Seed company's proprietary cultivar inoculated by Grasslanz®
  • Alkaloid profile of inoculated seedlings verified
  • Seed transmission of endophyte verified
  • step twoSTEP TWO (TEST)
  • Agronomic testing by the seed company
  • Animal safety test by Grasslanz®
  • STEP THREE (LICENCE)
  • Licence issued for a Novel Endophytic Cultivar to the seed company

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Production

  • proSEED PRODUCTION PROTOCOLS
  • Sowing
  • Management/fungicides
  • Post-harvest management
  • STORAGE/TRANSPORTATION
  • QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM
  • Genetic integrity of endophytes

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Current Funding Contributors
For Endophyte R & D

FRST, Beef and Lamb NZ, Grasslanz Technology, Agricom, PGG Wrightson Seeds, AgResearch, DairyNZ