ABSTRACT
A diverse array of biologically active secondary metabolites is found in grasses infected with Neotyphodium fungal endophytes. The significance of these fungal metabolites to pastoral agriculture is due as much to the prevalence of endophyte infection in grass populations and the distribution of the metabolites through plant tissues as to the yield and potency of these compounds. Alkaloids synthesized by Neotyphodium species in pasture grasses have been implicated in fescue toxicosis in the southern USA (Lyons et al., 1986; Yates, et al., 1985), rye grass staggers in New Zealand (Gallagher et al., 1981), other staggers syndromes in Australia, South Africa, and Argentina (Miles et al., 1998; Towers, 1997), and "sleepy grass" syndromes of livestock in the southwestern USA (Petroski et al., 1992) and China (Miles et al., 1996). In each case, the combination of the prevalence of fungal infection, and the distribution and potency of the metabolites appears to be responsible for the impact. The related species of Claviceps, although well known for their production of very high concentrations oftoxic alkaloids in fungal sclerotia (Flieger et al., 1997; Porter et al., 1987), do not cause problems on the same scale for pastoral
342 Lane et al.
