The RNA and protein content of perennial ryegrass root-tip galls induced by Longidorus elongatus were measured from transverse sections and the morphology described. Galls progressed through five distinct stages and were viable for only 10-12 days at 18 C, after which they collapsed and became necrotic. In the initial stage hypertrophy occurred and cells contained enlarged nuclei and nucleoli, ...

Genetic diversity of fungal endophytes, Neotyphodium species, was studied in grasses Festuca arundinacea, F. pratensis and Lolium perenne using AFLP  markers. Fungi were isolated from the host leaf sheaths and Neotyphodium species were selected based on morphological characteristics. To confirm identity of selected fungi belonging to the genus Neotyphodium, polymerase chain reaction was perform...

The molecular basis behind shade tolerance in plants is not fully understood. Previously, we have shown that a connection may exist between shade tolerance and dwarfism, however, the mechanism connecting these phenotypes is not well understood. In order to clarify this connection, we analyzed the transcriptome of a previously identified shade-tolerant mutant of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenn...

Eight forages (alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, red clover, bromegrass, orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, quackgrass, and timothy) at three maturities were evaluated for ruminal DM, CP, and NDF degradation kinetics. Duplicate dacron bags were incubated for 0, 3, 6, 10, 13, 25, 48, and 72 h in two late lactation Holstein cows fitted with ruminal cannulas over eight experimental periods. Species and m...

An experiment was designed to determine the effect of the fungal endophyte Neotyphodium lolii on the growth, physiological parameters and mineral element content of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perennel L.), when growing at two N supply levels. Endophyte infection had a significant positive effect on both shoot and root growth of ryegrass, but this difference was only significant in the high N su...

Based on a site experiment on a typical steppe of Inner Mongolia, the short term effects on aboveground biomass, soil water content, soil organic carbon, and soil total nitrogen of four cultivated pastures (CPs) with different compositions of herbaceous species were examined and compared to those of adjacent, natural grassland (NG) enclosed simultaneously. All CPs produced significantly higher ...

Bioassay techniques are often used to study the effects of allelochemicals on plant processes, and it is generally observed that the processes are stimulated at low allelochemical concentrations and inhibited as the concentrations increase. A simple empirical model is presented to analyze this type of response. The stimulation-inhibition properties of allelochemical-dose responses can be descri...

The present study explores the potential of directly linking phylogenetic identities obtained by cloning and sequencing of ITS sequences to dominant ribotypes of molecular community fingerprints to give further insight into dominant members of the communities in three Irish grassland soils. The ten most abundant bacterial ribotypes of untreated bare soils of three grassland microcosms were chos...

In New Zealand, agriculture is predominantly based on pastoral grazing systems and animal excreta deposited on soil during grazing have been identified as a major source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Forage brassicas (Brassica spp.) have been increasingly used to improve lamb performance. Compared with conventional forage perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), a common forage in New Zealan...

Lolium perenne ssp. multiflontm (Italian ryegrass) resistant to ACCase inhibiting herbicides has been reported in many wheat producing counties across Arkansas. Resistance is believed to be the result of point mutations creating amino acid substitutions in the CT domain of the plastidic ACCase gene. This study explores the occurrence of mutations in the A CCase gene of ryegrass populations. Pla...