Grass endophytes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a combination of a Neotyphodium species endophyte or endophyte culture in a symbiotic association with a host grass which association does not cause symptoms of toxicosis in animals through exclusion of ergovaline but, due to the inclusion of alkaloids including agroclavine, setoclavine or isosetoclavine, retains the ability to resist abiotic stresses and protect the grass from pests.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A combination of an endophyte of the  Neotyphodium coenophialum  species with a host grass,
 the endophyte selected from the group consisting of: AR512; AR513; AR514; AR517; AR521; AR522; AR524; AR525; AR535; AR539; and combinations thereof; AR512; AR513; AR514; AR517; AR521; AR522; AR524; AR525; AR535, AR539 being cultures deposited on 2 Oct. 2002 at the Australian Government Analytical Laboratories (AGAL) with accession numbers: NM02/31935; NM02/31936; NM02/31937; NM02/31938; NM02/31939; NM02/31940; NM02/31941; NM02/31942; NM02/31943; NM02/31944, respectively;   characterised in that when the endophyte is combined with a host grass, the endophyte and host grass do not produce alkaloid compounds associated with toxicosis in animals;   and further characterised in that when the endophyte is combined with a host grass, the endophyte and host grass retain sufficient levels of at least two clavine alkaloids selected from the group consisting of: agroclavine; setoclavine; isosetoclavine; and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         31 . A combination as claimed in  claim 30  characterised in that the endophyte and host grass combination is achieved by modification of host grass infected with the endophyte by methods selected from the group consisting of: breeding; crossing; hybridisation; genetic modification; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         32 . A combination as claimed in  claim 30  characterised in that the host grass is selected from the group consisting of: tall fescue grass cultivar; ryegrass cultivar; meadow fescue cultivar; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         33 . A combination as claimed in  claim 30  characterised in that the host grass is a Pooideae grass. 
     
     
         34 . A combination as claimed in  claim 30  characterised in that the endophyte and host grass combination produces isosetoclavine and setoclavine at a rate of greater than 0.5 ppm each of dry matter in the host grass plant crowns. 
     
     
         35 . A combination as claimed in  claim 30  characterised in that the endophyte and host grass combination produces less than 0.2 ppm of dry matter of ergovaline in whole herbage. 
     
     
         36 . A combination as claimed in  claim 30  characterised in that the endophyte and host grass combination has at least one feature selected from the group consisting of: enhancement of pest protection; resistance to insects; pasture persistence; and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         37 . A combination as claimed in  claim 36  characterised in that the pest, to which increased resistance is conferred on the host grass, is selected from the group consisting of: lesion nematode; root aphid; corn flea beetle; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         38 . A combination as claimed in  claim 30  characterised in that the endophyte and host grass combination enhances grazing animal growth and/or increases animal productivity relative to grass infected with known endophytes capable of inducing fescue toxicosis. 
     
     
         39 . A combination as claimed in  claim 30  characterised in that the endophyte produces sufficient levels of at least two clavine alkaloids to protect the endophyte and the host grass from pests or abiotic stresses or both. 
     
     
         40 . A combination as claimed in  claim 39 , wherein the abiotic stress is a water deficit. 
     
     
         41 . A combination of an endophyte of the  Neotyphodium coenophialum  species with a host grass, wherein the endophyte is selected from the group consisting an endophyte culture deposited with the Australian Government Analytical Laboratories under accession number NM02/31935; NM02/31936; NM02/31937; NM02/31938; NM02/31939; NM02/31940; NM02/31941; NM02/31942; NM02/31943; and NM02/31944. 
     
     
         42 . Seed of a host grass characterised in that the seeds are from a host grass infected with endophyte as claimed in  claim 30 .