The Alliance for Grassland Renewal: A Model for Teaching Endophyte Technology

Authors: C. A. Roberts, J. G. Andrae, S. R. Smith, M. H. Poore, C. A. Young, D. W. Hancock, G. J. Pent

Abstract:

To the author’s best knowledge, there are no published reports of effective methods for teaching fescue toxicosis and grass endophyte technology in the USA. To address this need, a group of university scientists, industry representatives, government agents, and livestock producers formed an organization called the Alliance for Grassland Renewal. One goal of the Alliance was to develop a teaching method that could be employed across all regions in the USA and all sectors of the agricultural community. The first step in developing this method was identification of experts who were familiar with the science and management of fescue toxicosis. The second step was curriculum development. Experts wrote a curriculum that addressed all aspects of toxicosis and management, including toxicology, animal nutrition, pasture management, economics, and mycology. The curriculum was created for presentation in lectures, laboratories, and in the field. The curriculum was in that it could be delivered across state lines, regardless of peculiar, in-state recommendations. The curriculum was also unique as it was unanimously supported by private companies otherwise in competition with each other. The final step in developing this teaching method was formulating a delivery plan. All experts, including university, industry, government, and production, volunteered to travel from any state in the USA, converge in one location, teach a 1-day workshop, then travel to the next location. The results of this teaching method indicate widespread success. Since 2012, experts across the entire USA have converged to teach Alliance workshops in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, with ongoing workshops in Arkansas and Tennessee. Data from post-workshop surveys indicate that instruction has been effective, as at least 50% of the participants stated their intention to adopt the endophyte technology presented in these workshops. The teaching method developed by the Alliance for Grassland Renewal has proved to be effective, and the Alliance continues to expand across the USA.

Keywords: Endophyte, Epichloë coenophiala, ergot alkaloids, fescue toxicosis, tall fescue.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/1

References:

[1] C. A. Roberts and J. G. Andrae, Fescue Toxicosis and Management. Madison, WI: ASA and CSSA, 2018.
[2] C. W. Bacon, J. K. Porter, J. D. Robbins, and E. S. Luttrell, “Epichloë typhina from toxic tall fescue grasses,” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., vol. 34, pp. 576-581, 1977.
[3] P. C. Lyons, R. D. Plattner, and C. W. Bacon, “Occurrence of peptide and clavine ergot alkaloids in tall fescue grass,” Science, vol. 232, pp. 487-489, 1986.
[4] J. A. Stuedemann and C. S. Hoveland, “Fescue endophyte: History and impact on animal agriculture,” J. Prod. Agric., vol. 1, pp. 39-44, 1988.
[5] C. S. Hoveland, “Importance and economic significance of the Acremonium endophytes to performance of animals and grass plants,” Agric. Ecosyst. Environ., vol 44, pp. 3-12, 1988.
[6] J. F. Pedersen and D. A. Sleper, “Considerations in breeding endophyte-free tall fescue forage cultivars,” J. Prod. Agric., vol. 1, pp. 127-132, 1988.
[7] J. H. Bouton, R. N. Gates, D. P. Belesky, and M. Owsley, “Yield and persistence of tall fescue in the southeastern coastal plain after removal of its endophyte,” Agron. J., vol. 85, pp. 52-55, 1993.
[8] C. S. Hoveland, R. L. Haaland, C. D. Berry, J. F. Pedersen, S. P. Schmidt, and R. R. Harris, “Triumph-A new winter-productive tall fescue,” Cir. 260. Alabama Agric. Exp. Stn., Auburn, AL. 1982.
[9] J. C. Read and B. J. Camp, “The effect of the fungal endophyte Acremonium coenophialum in tall fescue on animal performance, toxicity and stand maintenance.” Agron. J., vol. 78, pp. 848-850. 1986.
[10] C.P. West, E. Izekor, K. E. Turner, and A. A. Elmi, “Endophyte effects on growth and persistence of tall fescue along a water-supply gradient,” Agron. J. vol 85, pp. 264-270, 1993.
[11] J. Bouton, N. Hill, C. Hoveland, M. McCann, F. Thompson, L. Hawkins, and G. Latch, “Performance of tall fescue cultivars infected with non-toxic endophytes,” in Proc. 4th Int. Neotyphodium/Grass Interactions Symp., Soest, Germany, 2000, pp. 179-185.
[12] P. A. Beck, S. A. Gunter, K. S. Lusby, C. P. West, K. B. Watkins, and D. S. Hubbell, III. “Animal performance and economic comparison of novel and toxic endophyte tall fescues to cool-season annuals,” J. Anim. Sci. vol. 86, pp. 2043-2055, 2008.
[13] A. J. Franzluebbers and J. A. Stuedemann, “Pasture and cattle responses to fertilization and endophyte association in the southern Piedmont, USA,” Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. Vol. 114, pp. 217-225, 2006.
[14] J. M. Johnson, G. E. Aiken, T. D. Phillips, M. Barrett, J. L. Klotz, and F. N. Schrick, “Steer and pasture responses for a novel endophyte tall fescue developed for the upper transition zone, “ J. Anim. Sci. vol. 90, pp. 2402-2409, 2012.
[15] M. E. Nihsen, E. L. Piper, C. P. West, R. J. Crawford, T. M. Denard, Z. B. Johnson, C. A. Roberts, D. A. Spiers, and C. F. Rosenkrans, Jr., “Growth rate and physiology of steers grazing tall fescue inoculated with novel endophytes,” J. Anim. Sci. vol. 82, pp. 878-883, 2004.
[16] J. A. Parish, 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, “Use of non-ergot alkaloid-producing endophytes for alleviating tall fescue toxicosis in stocker cattle,” J. Anim. Sci. vol. 81, pp. 2856-286831, 2003.
[17] A. A. Hopkins, C. A. Young, D. G. Panaccione, W. R. Simpson, S. Mittal, and J. H. Bouton, “Agronomic performance and lamb health among several tall fescue novel endophyte combinations in the south-central USA,” Crop Sci., vol. 50, pp 1552-1561. 2010.
[18] J. A. Parish, J. R. Parish, T. F. Best, H. T. Boland, and C. A. Young, “Effects of selected endophyte and tall fescue cultivar combinations on steer grazing performance, indicators of fescue toxicosis, feedlot performance, and carcass traits,” J Anim. Sci. vol. 91, pp. 342-55, 2013.
[19] J. H. Bouton, G. C. M. Latch, N. S. Hill, C. S. Hoveland, M. A. McCann, R. H. Watson, J. A. Parish, L. L. Hawkins, and F. N. Thompson, “Reinfection of tall fescue cultivars with non-ergot alkaloid-producing endophytes,” Agron. J. vol. 94, pp. 567-574, 2002.
[20] L. J. Johnson, A. C. de Bonth, L. R. Briggs, J. R. Caradus, S. C. Finch, D. J. Fleetwood, L. R. Fletcher, D. E. Hume, R. D. Johnson, A. J. Popay, B. A. Tapper, “The exploitation of epichloae endophytes for agricultural benefit,” Fungal Diversity, vol. 60, pp. 171-188, 2013.
[21] C. A. Roberts and J. G. Andrae, “Public education in tall fescue toxicosis,” in Neotyphodium in Cool-Season Grasses, in C.A. Roberts, C. P. West, and D. A. Spiers, Eds. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing Professional, 2005, pp. 359-377.
[22] D. M. Ball, G. D. Lacefield, and C. S. Hoveland, The Wonder Grass—The Story of Tall Fescue in the United States. Salem, OR: Oregon Tall Fescue Commission, 2019, ch 11.