Grass endophyte

Abstract

A method of protecting a host grass from stress, such as caused by insect pests, by artificially inoculating the host grass with an endophyte-containing composition is disclosed. The endophyte produces loline at a level sufficient to confer protection to the endophyte-infected host grass and does not produce detectable levels of alkaloids having toxicity to ruminant animals such as sheep, cattle, goats, or deer. In vitro cultures of the endophyte Neotyphodium uncinatum, var. U2 are disclosed as well as infected plants and seeds. The infected plants and seeds produce 5.0-20,000 μg lolines per gram dry weight of grass and do not produce detectable levels of alkaloids having toxicity to ruminant animals such as ergovaline, peramine, lolitrem B and epoxy-Janthitrems.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An in vitro culture comprising  Neotyphodium uncinatum , var. U2. 
     
     
         2 . A seed from the family Poaceae obtained from a plant that has been artificially infected with  Neotyphodium uncinatum , var. U2. 
     
     
         3 . The seed of  claim 2 , wherein the seed is from a plant selected from the group consisting of  Lolium perenne, Lolium hybridum, Lolium multiflorum, Festuca arundinacea, Festuca pratensis,  and  Festulolium hybrids.    
     
     
         4 . An isolated endophyte producing 5.0-20,000 μg lolines from infected grass/g dry plant material and not producing detectable levels of at least one alkaloid having toxicity to ruminant animals. 
     
     
         5 . The endophyte of  claim 4 , wherein the alkaloid is selected from the group consisting of ergovaline, peramine, lolitrem B and epoxy-Janthitrems. 
     
     
         6 . The endophyte of  claim 4 , wherein the ruminant animals are sheep, cattle, goats, or deer. 
     
     
         7 . The endophyte of  claim 4 , which is  Neotyphodium uncinatum , var. U2. 
     
     
         8 . A plant from the family Poaceae artificially infected with  Neotyphodium Uncinatum , var. U2. 
     
     
         9 . The plant of  claim 8  wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of  Lolium perenne, Lolium hybridum, Lolium multiflorum, Festuca arundinacea, Festuca pratensis,  and  Festulolium hybrids.    
     
     
         10 . A method of protecting a host grass from stress, comprising artificially inoculating the host grass with an endophyte-containing composition to produce an endophyte-infected host grass, wherein the endophyte produces lolines at a level sufficient to confer protection to the endophyte-infected host grass and does not produce detectable levels of alkaloids having toxicity to ruminant animals. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the stress is caused by an insect. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the insect is selected from the group consisting of Argentine stem weevil ( Listronotus bonariensis ), New Zealand Grass Grub ( Costelytra zealandica ), Black beetle ( Heteronychus arator ), Porina ( Wiseana  sp.) and Red Headed Pasture cockchafer ( Adoryphorus couloni ). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the endophyte-containing composition comprises  Neotyphodium uncinatum , var. U2. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the endophyte produces 5.0-20,000 μg/g (wt lolines/wt dry grass). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the grass is from the family Poaceae. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the grass is selected from the group consisting of the genus  Festuca.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the grass is selected from the group consisting of  Lolium perenne, Lolium hybridum, Lolium multiflorum, Festuca arundinacea, Festuca pratensis,  and  Festulolium hybrids.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein levels of ergot alkaloids in the endophyte-infected host grass are less than detectable levels of 0.2 μg/g, (wt. alkaloid/dry wt. grass). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein levels of pyrrolopyrazine alkaloids in the endophyte-infected host grass are less than 0.1 μg/g, (wt. alkaloid/dry wt. grass). 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein ergovaline, peramine, lolitrem B and epoxy-Janthitrems are not detectable in the endophyte-infected host grass. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the ruminant animals are sheep, cattle, goats, or deer.