Theme 11: Biological Constraints to Animal Production from Grasslands
Description
Perloline, a biologically active plant alkaloid, accumulated in vegetative tissue of tall fescue during the summer months. Perloline content increased with increased available nitrogen and light. Total perloline accumulation was greatest with NO3-N fertilizer, but greatest perloline content per unit of dry wt was measured with NH4-N. In mature plants greatest perloline accumulation occurred in the leaves and immature inflorescences, but was not detected in the seed. Leaves of meadow fescue contained the greatest amounts of perloline, tall fescue was intermediate and giant fescue, and ryegrasses and yellow foxtail had low amounts of the alkaloid. Tryptophan and ornithine were efficient precursors of perloline biosynthesis.
Included in
Perloline, the Forgotten Plant Alkaloid
Perloline, a biologically active plant alkaloid, accumulated in vegetative tissue of tall fescue during the summer months. Perloline content increased with increased available nitrogen and light. Total perloline accumulation was greatest with NO3-N fertilizer, but greatest perloline content per unit of dry wt was measured with NH4-N. In mature plants greatest perloline accumulation occurred in the leaves and immature inflorescences, but was not detected in the seed. Leaves of meadow fescue contained the greatest amounts of perloline, tall fescue was intermediate and giant fescue, and ryegrasses and yellow foxtail had low amounts of the alkaloid. Tryptophan and ornithine were efficient precursors of perloline biosynthesis.
