LOLITREM B IN DANISH GROWN ENDOPHYTE INFECTED PERENNIAL RYEGRASS - PRELIMINARY RESULTS.

A. M. D. Jensen

The Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Dept. of Plant Biology. Research Centre Flakkebjerg, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark

Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. cv Delaware) infected (75%) with Neotyphodium lolii is cultivated under Danish conditions. Production of the indole alkaloid lolitrem B is evaluated during the growing season 1998. A season characterised by an average temperature below normal and an extreme high amount of precipitation during the summer months. Lolitrem B is detected within the ryegrass cultivar; however, the concentration (mg lolitrem B/kg freeze-dried plant material (DM)) varies throughout the growing season. Mycelium could de detected within the crop from May to August and again in October. The degree of infection reaches a maximum in August