The effect of grass endophytes on earthworms and slugs under a turf mowing regime
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30843/nzpp.2018.71.148Keywords:
Avanex, Epichloë, Festuca arundinacea, Gastropoda, Lolium perenne, Lumbricidae, NeotyphodiumAbstract
Earthworms are not a direct pest of turf grass but they are considered a problem on many sports fields, disrupting playability and aesthetics due to the castings they deposit on the playing surface. Also, a number of slug species are well-known foliage destroying pests of a number of agriculturally important crop species. Perennial ryegrass and tall fescue cultivars associated with selected Epichloë endophytes, originally developed for bird management at airports, were assessed to determine their deterrent properties towards worms and slugs. Plots sown with endophyte-free ryegrass had significantly higher numbers of worms and slugs than plots containing the same grass cultivar infected with the endophyte strain AR95. Also, plots sown with endophyte-free tall fescue had significantly higher numbers of slugs (but not worms) than plots containing the same grass cultivar infected with the endophyte strain AR601. Although more research is required on the exact mechanism of action, these results suggest selected novel endophyte-infected grass associations, such as those including the endophyte AR95, may substantially reduce populations of worms and slugs in areas where these grasses are sown.
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Prestidge RA, Marshall SL, Thom ER 1997. Seasonal earthworm densities on endophyte-infected and endophyte-free perennial ryegrass. Proceedings of the New Zealand Plant Protection Conference 50: 73–77.
Redmond CT, Kesheimer A, Potter DA 2014. Earthworm community composition, seasonal population structure, and casting activity on Kentucky golf courses. Applied Soil Ecology 75: 116–123. <a>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2013.11.005</a>
Schardl CL, Young CA, Faulkner JR, Florea S, Pan J 2012. Chemotypic diversity of epichloae, fungal symbionts of grasses. Fungal Ecology 5: 331–344. <a>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2011.04.005</a>
Singh K, Hegeman WJM, Laane RWPM, Chan HM 2016. Review and evaluation of a chiral enrichment model for chlordane enantiomers in the environment. Environmental Reviews 24: 363–376. <a>https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2016-0015</a>
Thom E, Popay A, Waugh C, Minneé E 2014. Impact of novel endophytes in perennial ryegrass on herbage production and insect pests from pastures under dairy cow grazing in northern New Zealand Grass & Forage Science 69: 191-204.
Treves A, Wallace RB, Naughton-Treves L, Morales A 2006. Co-managing human–wildlife conflicts: a review. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 11: 383–396. <a>https://doi.org/10.1080/10871200600984265</a>
Young CA, Hume DE, McCulley RL 2013. Forages and pastures symposium: Fungal endophytes of tall fescue and perennial ryegrass: Pasture friend or foe? Journal of Animal Science 91: 2379–2394.
<a>https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2012-5951</a>
Beckman P 1999. Earthworm casting creates maintenance nightmare. Penton Media <a>http://groundsmag.com/golf_courses/grounds_maintenance_earthworm_casting_creates/</a>. Accessed 8th May 2018.
Chapman DF, Bryant JR, Olayemi ME, Edwards GR, Thorrold BS, McMillan WH, Kerr GA, Judson G, Cookson T, Moorhead A, Norriss M 2017. An economically based evaluation index for perennial and shortâ€term ryegrasses in New Zealand dairy farm systems. Grass and Forage Science 72: 1–21. <a>https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.12213</a>
Coley AB, Fribourg HA, Pelton MR, Gwinn KD 1995. Effects of tall fescue endophyte infestation on relative abundance of small mammals. Journal of Environmental Quality 24: 472–475. <a>https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1995.00472425002400030012x</a>
Conover MR, Messmer TA 1996. Feeding preferences and changes in mass of Canada geese grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue. Condor 98: 859–862. <a>https://doi.org/10.2307/1369872</a>
Delahaut K, Koval CF 2002. Earthworms: Beneficials or Pests? Grounds Maintenance: For golf and green industry professionals University of Wisconsin-Madison, Penton Media Inc. <a>http://grounds-mag.com/mag/grounds_maintenance_earthworms_beneficials_pests</a>. Accessed 8th May 2018.
Drewry JJ 2006. Natural recovery of soil physical properties from treading damage of pastoral soils in New Zealand and Australia: A review. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 114: 159–169. <a>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2005.11.028</a>
Finch SC, Pennell CGL, Kerby JWF, Cave VM 2016. Mice find endophyte-infected seed of tall fescue unpalatable - implications for the aviation industry. Grass and Forage Science 71 659–666. <a>https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.12203</a>
Grewal PS, Grewal SK, Taylor RAJ, Hammond RB 2001. Application of molluscicidal nematodes to slug shelters: A novel approach to economic biological control of slugs. Biological Control 22: 72–80. <a>https://doi.org/10.1006/bcon.2001.0958</a>
Hoffman GD, Rao S 2014. Fertilization of Epichloë typhina stromata by mycophagous slugs. Mycologia 106: 1–7. <a>https://doi.org/10.3852/13-069</a>
Humphries SS, Gwinn KD, Stewart AJ 2001. Effects of endophyte status of tall fescue tissues on the earthworm (<i>Eisenia fetida</i>). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 20: 1346–1350. <a>https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620200625</a>
Johnson L, de Bonth A, Briggs L, Caradus J, Finch S, Fleetwood D, Fletcher L, Hume D, Johnson R, Popay A, Tapper B, Simpson W, Voisey C, Card S 2013. The exploitation of epichloae endophytes for agricultural benefit. Fungal Diversity 60: 171–188. <a>https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-013-0239-4</a>
Leuchtmann A, Bacon CW, Schardl CL, White JF, Tadych M 2014. Nomenclatural realignment of Neotyphodium species with genus Epichloë. Mycologia 106: 202-215.
<a>https://doi.org/10.3852/13-251</a>
Panaccione D, Cipoletti J, Sedlock A, Blemmings K, Shardl C, Machodo C, Seidel G 2006. Effects of ergot alkaloids on food preference and satiety in rabbits, as assessed with gene-knockout endophytes in perennial ryegrass (<i>Lolium perenne</i>). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 54: 4582–4587. <a>https://doi.org/10.1021/jf060626u</a>
Pennell CGL, Popay AJ, Rolston MP, Townsend RJ, Lloyd-West CM, Card SD 2016. Avanex Unique Endophyte Technology – a biological deterrent for the aviation industries. Environmental Entomology 45: 101-108. <a>https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvv145</a>
Pennell C, Rolston M, Koten C, Hume D, Card S 2017a. Reducing bird numbers at New Zealand airports using a unique endophyte product. New Zealand Plant Protection 70: 224–234. <a>https://doi.org/10.30843/nzpp.2017.70.55</a>
Pennell C, Rolston M, Baird D, Hume D, Mckenzie C, Card S 2017b. Using novel-grass endophyte associations as an avian deterrent. New Zealand Plant Protection 70: 255–264. <a>https://doi.org/10.30843/nzpp.2017.70.59</a>
Pennell C, Rolston M, Latham A, Mace W, Vlaming J, van Koten C, Latham M, Brown S, Card S 2017c. Novel grass-endophyte associations reduce the feeding behaviour of invasive European rabbits (<i>Oryctolagus cuniculus</i>). Wildlife Research 43: 681–690. <a>https://doi.org/10.1071/WR16114</a>
Potter DA, Redmond CT, Meepagala KM, Williams DW 2010. Managing earthworm casts (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae) in turfgrass using a natural by-product of tea oil (<i>Camellia sp. </i>) manufacture. Pest Management Science 66: 439–446.
Potter DA, Redmond CT, Williams DW 2011. Course Care: Controlling Earthworm Casts. <a>http://www.usga.org/news/2011/October/Course-Care--Controlling-Earthworm-Casts/</a>. Accessed 8th May 2018.
Prestidge RA, Sprosen JM 1995. The effect of glyphosate, paraquat and paclobutrazol on lolitrem B levels in endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 43: 138–140. <a>https://doi.org/10.1080/00480169.1995.35873</a>
Prestidge RA, Marshall SL, Thom ER 1997. Seasonal earthworm densities on endophyte-infected and endophyte-free perennial ryegrass. Proceedings of the New Zealand Plant Protection Conference 50: 73–77.
Redmond CT, Kesheimer A, Potter DA 2014. Earthworm community composition, seasonal population structure, and casting activity on Kentucky golf courses. Applied Soil Ecology 75: 116–123. <a>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2013.11.005</a>
Schardl CL, Young CA, Faulkner JR, Florea S, Pan J 2012. Chemotypic diversity of epichloae, fungal symbionts of grasses. Fungal Ecology 5: 331–344. <a>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2011.04.005</a>
Singh K, Hegeman WJM, Laane RWPM, Chan HM 2016. Review and evaluation of a chiral enrichment model for chlordane enantiomers in the environment. Environmental Reviews 24: 363–376. <a>https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2016-0015</a>
Thom E, Popay A, Waugh C, Minneé E 2014. Impact of novel endophytes in perennial ryegrass on herbage production and insect pests from pastures under dairy cow grazing in northern New Zealand Grass & Forage Science 69: 191-204.
Treves A, Wallace RB, Naughton-Treves L, Morales A 2006. Co-managing human–wildlife conflicts: a review. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 11: 383–396. <a>https://doi.org/10.1080/10871200600984265</a>
Young CA, Hume DE, McCulley RL 2013. Forages and pastures symposium: Fungal endophytes of tall fescue and perennial ryegrass: Pasture friend or foe? Journal of Animal Science 91: 2379–2394.
<a>https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2012-5951</a>
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Published
2018-06-20
How to Cite
Pennell, Chris G.L., M. Philip Rolston, Chikako van Koten, Wade J. Mace, David E. Hume, and Stuart D. Card. “The Effect of Grass Endophytes on Earthworms and Slugs under a Turf Mowing Regime”. New Zealand Plant Protection 71 (June 20, 2018): 240–247. Accessed October 1, 2023. https://journal.nzpps.org/index.php/nzpp/article/view/148.
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