Progress 07/01/99 to 06/30/05
Outputs
The following forage cultivars and/or technologies were commercialized from this research program during entire project period for GEO000881: Jesup tall fescue with the MaxQ endophtye, Durana and Patriot white clovers, and Bulldog and Cinammon Plus (joint with FFR Cooperative) red clovers. The objective of recent animal performance experiments was to assess the ability of Jesup MaxQ when inter-planted with Durana white clover to provide persistent, high quality pasture in the southern USA. During the past two years, both cultivars performed well when inter-planted. Additions of Durana white clover to the available forage supply increased animal performance even when grown with a high quality grass like Jesup MaxQ. These paddocks will be monitored in future years to assess whether the two cultivars will continue to provide a high quality, persistent legume-grass pasture for the region.
Impacts
MaxQ tall fescue and Durana white clover continue to result in improvements in animal health and productivity and increased income for producers.
Publications
- Watson, R.H., M.A. McCann, J.A. Parish, C.S. Hoveland, F.N. Thompson, and J.H. Bouton. 2004. Productivity of cow-calf pairs grazing tall fescue pastures infected with either the wild-type endophyte or a nonergot alkaloid-producing endophyte strain, AR542. J. Anim. Sci. 82: 3388-3393.
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
The development and commercial release of MaxQ tall fescue and Durana white clover was included in the 2003 report. MaxQ is a novel endophyte infected into the persistent tall fescue cultivar, Jesup, that does not produce toxic ergot alkaloids. Durana is a renovation legume for upgrading forage nutrition and fixing nitrogen in existing perennial grass pastures. Advanced testing has continued with these two cultivars. The current age of the MaxQ paddocks, 6 years, demonstrates the positive long-term advantage of using non-ergot alkaloid producing endophytes to improve beef steer performance. The highest average daily gains were also achieved in pastures containing the endophyte-free or MaxQ tall fescue with Durana white clover. In each case, the addition of Durana white clover enhanced animal gain over its grass alone treatment. Using molecular markers to introgress aluminium tolerant loci from Medicago coerulea into tetraploid, cultivated alfalfa continued. A BC2F1
population has been produced for further selection.
Impacts
MaxQ tall fescue and Durana white clover will result in improvements in animal health and productivity leading eventually to increased income for producers.
Publications
- Bouton, J.H., and R.N. Gates. 2003. Grazing tolerant alfalfas perform well under rotational stocking and hay management. Agron J. 95: 1461-1464.
- Sledge*, M.K., J.H. Bouton, and G. Kochert. 2003. Shifts in pest resistance, fall dormancy, and yield in 12-, 24-, and 120-parent grazing tolerant synthetics derived from CUF 101 alfalfa. Crop Sci. 43:1736-1740.
- Parish, J.A., M.A. McCann, R.H. Watson, N.N. Paiva, C.S. Hoveland, A.H. Parks, B.L. Upchurch, N.S. Hill, and J.H. Bouton. 2003. Use of nonergot alkaloid-producing endophytes for alleviating tall fescue toxicosis in stocker cattle. J. Anim Sci. 81: 2856-2868.
- J. A. Parish, M. A. McCann, R. H. Watson, C. S. Hoveland, L. L. Hawkins, N. S. Hill, and J. H. Bouton . 2003. Use of nonergot alkaloid-producing endophytes for alleviating tall fescue toxicosis in sheep. J. Anim Sci. 81: 1316-1322.
- Bouton, J.H., and A.A. Hopkins. 2003. Commercial applications of endophytic fungi. p. 495-516. In J.F. White, C.W. Bacon, N.L. Hywel-Jones, and J.W. Spatafora (eds.) Clavicipitalean Fungi: Evoluntionary Biology, Chemistry, Biocontrol, and Cultural Impacts. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York.
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
Perennial grasses are very dependable, easy to manage, form the base forage for pasture programs in the southern region. In order to help farmers manage problems associated with this grass base, MaxQ tall fescue and the Durana white clover and Cinnamon Plus red clover cultivars were recently developed and released by this research program. MaxQ is a novel endophyte infected into the persistent tall fescue cultivar, Jesup, that does not produce toxic ergot alkaloids. Durana and Cinnamon Plus are renonvation legumes for upgrading forage nutrition and fixing nitrogen in existing grass pastures. During 5 years of testing, MaxQ was superior to endophyte-infected (E+) tall fescue in producing high performance in all phases of beef cattle production systems, yet better than endophyte-free (E-) tall fescue in providing farmers with desired persistence. Durana's persistence when compared to ladino cultivars, and its ability to enhance animal gains on both E+ and E- tall fescue
pastures without the need for nitrogen fertilizer, is also economically important. Cinnamon Plus is demonstrating better persistence when grown with tall fescue and grazed. We also continue to use molecular markers to introgress aluminium tolerant loci from Medicago coerulea into tetraploid, cultivated alfalfa. BC1F1 populations were found to possess these loci and the best BC1F1 genotypes will be used to producing BC2F1 population for further selection.
Impacts
MaxQ tall fescue, Durana white clover, and Cinammon Plus red clover cultivars will benefit farmers in their pasture programs by overcoming current problems of their perennial grass base. Use of these cultivars should result in improvements in animal health and productivity leading eventually to increased income for producers.
Publications
- Hill, N.S., J.H. Bouton, F.N. Thompson, L. Hawkins, C.S. Hoveland, and M.A. McCann. 2002. Performance of tall fescue germplasms bred for high- and low-ergot alkaloids. Crop Sci. 42:518-523.
- Bouton, J.H., G.C.M. Latch, N.S. Hill, C.S. Hovland, M.A. McCann, R.H. Watson, J.A. Parish,L.L. Hawkins, and F.N. Thompson. 2002. Re-infection of tall fescue cultivars with non-ergot alkaloid producting endophytes. Agron. J. 94:567-574.
- Sledge*, M.K., J.H. Bouton, W.A. Parrott, M. Dall'Agnol, and G. Kochert. 2002. Identification and confirmation of aluminum tolerance QTL in diploid Medicago sativa ssp. coerulea. Crop Sci. 42:1121-1128.
- Hill, N.S., E.E. Hiatt, J.H. Bouton, and B. Tapper. 2002. Strain specific monoclonal antibodies to a nontoxic tall fescue endophyte. Crop Sci. 42:1627-1630.
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Progress 01/01/01 to 12/31/01
Outputs
Research on re-infecting elite tall fescue cultivars with naturally occurring, non-ergot alkaloid producing endophytes has continued and all data are very positive for eliminating fescue toxicity and retaining good agronomic performance. One of these strains is currently being commerically sold in our Jesup cultivar under the name of MaxQ. White clover germplasm derived from naturalized ecotypes, including ecotype x ladino crosses, continue to show excellent adaptation, yield, persistence, and animal performance (including increasing animal production when planted into toxic tall fescue) in tests conducted throughout Georgia. Using genotypes surviving overgrazing as parents to develop grazing tolerant cultivars of alfalfa, orchardgrass, and red clover also continues to show success. Molecular markers are being used to introgress aluminum tolerance loci from Medicago coerulea into tetraploid, cultivated alfalfa and BC1F1 populations are currently being evaluated.
Impacts
The MaxQ tall fescue cultivar is currently making a significant contribution to dependable, productive, and economical pasture systems. Likewise, the MaxQ cultivar, and potentially, the new white clover experimental cultivars, should save millions of dollars normally lost by beef cattle producers due to fescue toxicosis.
Publications
- Bouton, J.H., R.N. Gates, and C.S. Hoveland. 2001. Selection for persistence in endophyte-free Kentucky 31 tall fescue. Crop Sci. 41:1026-1028.
- Bouton, J.H. 2001. Combining the grazing tolerance trait with forage production in non-dormant alfalfa. p. 177-182. In I. Delgado and J. Lloveras (eds.). Quality in lucerne and medics for animal production. CIHEAM, Zaragoza, Spain.
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Progress 01/01/00 to 12/31/00
Outputs
The strategy of re-infecting elite tall fescue cultivars with naturally occurring, non-toxic endophytes appears promising for removing fescue toxicity and retaining agronomic performance, but data indicate that intense screening will need to be conducted to identify the best cultivar/strain combinations. One of the non-toxic strains from AgResearch will be commerically sold in our Jesup cultivar under the name of MaxQ. White clover germplasm derived from naturalized ecotypes, including ecotype x ladino crosses, shows excellent adaptation, yield, persistence, and animal performance in tests conducted throughout Georgia. Using genotypes surviving overgrazing as parents to develop grazing tolerant cultivars of alfalfa, orchardgrass, and red clover continues to show success. Molecular markers were used to introgress aluminum tolerance loci from diploid to tetraploid, cultivated alfalfa.
Impacts
New forage cultivars, especially in legume species, continue to be a very important variable for livestock producers because they contribute in a tangible way to dependable, productive, and economical pasture systems. This approach of using the MaxQ endophyte in elite tall fescue varieties has the potential impact of saving millions of dollars normally lost by beef cattle producer to fescue toxicosis.
Publications
- Bouton, J.H. 2000. Use of endophytic fungi for pasture improvement in the USA. p. 46. Abstracts, 4th International Neotyphodium/Grass Interaction Symposium. 27-29 September 2000. Soest, Germany.
- Bouton, J.H., N.S. Hill, C.S. Hoveland, M.A. McCann, F.N. Thompson, L.L. Hawkins, and G.C.M. Latch. 2000. Performance of tall fescue cultivars infected with non-toxic endophytes. p. 52. Abstracts, 4th International Neotyphodium/Grass Interaction Symposium. 27-29 September 2000. Soest, Germany.
- Bouton, J.H. 2000. Breeding for persistence in perennial temperate forage crops. p. 176. In Agronomy abstracts. ASA, Madison, WI.
- Bouton, J.H., C.S. Hoveland, and R.G. Durham. 2000. Endophyte effect on competition of tall fescue with bermudagrass. p. 178. In Agronomy abstracts. ASA, Madison, WI.
- Hoveland, C.S., J.H. Bouton, and R.G. Durham. 2000. Chicory production and persistence as affected by defoliation. p. 178. In Agronomy abstracts. ASA, Madison, WI.
- Diwan, N., J.H. Bouton, G. Kochert, and P.B. Cregan. 2000. Mapping of simple sequence repeats (SSR) DNA markers in diploid and tetraploid alfalfa. Theor. Appl. Genet. 101:165-172.
- Smith, S.R., Jr., J.H. Bouton, A. Singh, and W.P. McCaughey. 2000. Development and evaluation of grazing tolerant alfalfa cultivars: A review. Can. J. Plant Sci. 80:503-512.
- Bouton, J.H., N.S. Hill, C.S. Hoveland, M.A. McCann, F.N. Thompson, L.L. Hawkins, and G.C.M. Latch. 2000. Infection of tall fesuce cultivars with non-toxic endophytes. Proc Southern Pasture and Forage Crop Improvement Conference. 13-14 June 2000. Raleigh, NC. (In press).
- Bouton, J.H., N.S. Hill, C.S. Hoveland, M.A. McCann, F.N. Thompson, L.L. Hawkins, and G.C.M. Latch. 2000. Tall fescue cultivars infected with non-toxic endophytes. p. 125-129. Proc American Forage and Grassland Council. 16-19 July 2000. Madison, WI.
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Progress 07/01/99 to 12/31/99
Outputs
Several experimental synthetics developed previously in alfalfa, tall fescue, red clover, white clover, and orchardgrass were tested for pasture potential at several sites in Georgia and the Southeastern USA. Several of these experimentals show good agronomic and animal performance and will be considered for release as cultivars in the future. Reinfection of nontoxic Neotyphodium endophytes into elite tall fescue germplasms and cultivars continues to show real promise for increasing animal performance and summer survival in this important forage grass. Five RFLP markers, found previously to be associated with Al tolerance QTLs in diploid alfalfa, were reconfirmed for this marker association in another backcross population.
Impacts
Developing persistent perennial legumes and/or non-toxic tall fescue with friendly endophytes that are grazing-tolerant and competitive will be very important to the livestock industry in Georgia and the Southeastern USA. By improving nutritive quality of pastures and removing toxic substances of one of the main forage species, tall fescue, producers will see improved efficiency of production of animal product (meat, milk, or wool) per land area.
Publications
- Hiatt, E.E., Hill, N.C., Bouton, J.H. and Stuedemann, J.A. 1999. Tall fescue endophyte detection: commercial immunoblot test kit compared with microscopic analysis. Crop Sci. (39:796-799).
- Gates, R.N., Hill, G.M. and Bouton, J.H.. 1999. Wintering beef cattle on mixtures of `Georgia 5' tall fescue and warm-season perennial grasses on coastal plain soils. J. Prod. Agric. (12: 581-587).
- Bouton, J.H. 1999. Desenvolvimento de cultivares tolerantes ao pastejo e a acidez do solo. p. 47-65. In Aristeu Mendes Peixoto, Jose Carlos de Moura, Sila Carneiro da Silva, and Vidal Pedroso de Faria (eds.) Alfafa. Anais do 16 Simposo sobre Manejo da Pastagem. FEALQ, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
- Bouton, J.H., Hill, N.S., Hoveland, C.S., McCann, M.A., Thompson, F.N., Hawkins, L.L. and Latch, G.C. 1999. Alleviating tall fescue with non-toxic endophytes. p. 109. In Agronomy abstracts. ASA, Madison, WI.
- Sledge, M.K., Bouton, J.H., Parrott, W.A. and Kochert, G. 1999. Aluminum tolerance QTL in diploid alfalfa. p. 159. In Agronomy abstracts. ASA, Madison, WI.
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