Noel
In theory it is possible for nil endo plants to become infected with
endophyte, if an open wound on the plant came into contact with an open
wound on a neighbouring infected plant in just the right way (very
unlikely). In practice we have about 20% success in infecting plants in the
lab so in practice Leon is right it won't happen in ryegrass or Tall fescue.
The importing of endophyte in seed (or resident seed germinating after
sowing) is a real possibility in ryegrass but less likely in tall fescue as
the vast majority of tall fescue in Aus is nil endophyte, it is only
recently that the novel endophyte Max P has been sold.
If you are seeing any effects of endophyte, it is most likely from perennial
ryegrass contamination.
Cheers
John
Dr John Evans
Technical Development Manager
Heritage Seeds Pty Ltd
Po Box 4020 Mulgrave Vic 3170 Australia
Office: +61 3 9501 7000
Fax: +61 3 9561 9333
Mobile: +61 413 442 810
-----Original Message-----
From: leon [mailto:leon@grazinginfo.com]
Sent: Sunday, 10 September 2006 9:03 AM
To: vicdairy-l@unimelb.edu.au
Subject: Re: endophyte & fescue
No they canšt, but an endophyte-free paddock can become infected by
endophyte grasses from feeding endophyte hay on the paddock, and slightly
from animals eating the seeds of endophyte grasses before grazing an
endophyte-free paddock.
These grasses are then less likely to be grazed as short as endophyte-free
ones which animals prefer, so could increase.
On 9/9/06 1:52 PM, "Noel Pattinson" <noel@netspace.net.au> wrote:
> Does anyone know if fescues, in particular "Advance" can pick-up
endophyte
> fungus from the environment eventhough the seed it came from did not have
> it?
>
> Noel Pattinson
> Willung
> Gippsland
> Victoria
>
Best wishes,
Vaughan Jones
Hamilton
Waikato
New Zealand
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