b'DLF Pickseed uses research plots to test and improve their novel endophyte traits. endophyte is not compatible with the germplasm, low infectioninfected tall fescue are from the same species, Epichloe coeno-rates will occur and the resulting seeds will be endophyte freephiala. rather than novel endophyte infected.Today, we can do entire genome sequencing for any given We already know from previous studies that endophyte-freeisolate, but when endophytes were first identified, the only lines dont persist well so it is imperative within the developmentway we could determine variation between isolates was initially of a new cultivar that it is highly endophyte infected, he says.testing for ergot alkaloid production or determining variation associated with a few available simple sequence repeat regions, Creating a Silver Bullet Solution says Young. Roberts says that novel endophytes are a silver bullet for the livestock industry and the research and cultivar improvementAdoption and Education coming out the Noble Research Institute, universities and seedAlthough novel endophyte infected fescue varieties provide companies are producing an affordable and long-term solutionboth ecological benefits to a pasture while maintaining grazing for producers and farmers.free from toxicosis, many producers are slow to adopt. Carolyn Young and Mike Trammell work together at theRoberts estimates that over 85% of the tall fescue in pastures Noble Research Institute to create tall fescue cultivars for thethroughout the Fescue Belt are still K31, and those producers are seed industry that have both livestock and ecological benefits.using other inputs to off-set the effects of toxicosis. Trammell says that he and Young work closely in the creationWe have seen a 50% jump in novel endophyte infected seed of novel endophyte infected seed for Nobles breeding program.sales, but that is relative because sales have been so low, says Carolyn takes out the toxic endophyte and replaces it with aRoberts. novel endophyte, Trammell shares. Then she helps me moni- The biggest hurdle, all sources agree, is education and knowl-tor for the endophyte during the breeding process to ensureedge dissemination; hurdles the Alliance for Grassland Renewal that the novel endophyte stays with the plant and transfers fromare working to clear. generation to generation.Now in its seventh year, the Alliance brings the seed industry, Young says that when selecting a novel endophyte, the firstuniversity and government together in one-day workshops held thing you have to do is understand that different endophytethroughout the Fescue Belt. strains vary and learning those variations is one of the main driv- The workshops cover everything from the economic benefit ers for the genome sequencing the Noble Research Institute isof renovating pastures to the proper calibration of a no-till drilldoing on many different endophytes.a required tool in the renovation techniques the Alliance teaches. Making sure that we know what makes one strain toxic andRoberts shares that when the curriculum and messag-other strains non-toxic is the first step when we look at the endo- ing were being built, all who were involved had one clear goal: phytes. And it comes down to knowing how these isolates cameRenovate to get rid of the toxicosis that costs producers so aboutwhat is in their genomesand identifying the genes thatmuch each year. A feat the group is accomplishing, albeit slower are required for alkaloid biosynthesis, says Young. than they would like. Young has been looking at the genes for ergot alkaloid bio- For Lanier, the cost of renovating was small in comparison to synthesis and has noted that in the novel endophyte strains shethe cost of toxicosis. and Trammell are working with, those genes arent present in theCost is a misnomer; K31 is what is expensive on a farm, you genome, meaning that the fungus is unable to produce the toxicjust dont see all of the losses up front, Lanier says.SWalkaloids. Currently, all endophytes used for novel endophyte OCTOBER 2019SEEDWORLD.COM /71'