Endophytes matter: Variation of dung beetle performance across different endophyte-infected tall fescue cultivars

Shymanovich, Tatsiana; Crowley, Grace; Ingram, Sam; Steen, Chey R; Panaccione, Daniel G.; Young, Carolyn; Watson, Wes; Poore, M. H.

doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2020.103561

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Brood-balls from the dung beetle Onthophagu taurus preferred dung from cows grazing tall fescue Texoma MaxQ II while dung from cows grazing tall fescue Kentucky31 and BarOptima PLUSE34 were avoided [ 459 ]. Both O. taurus and the other beetle species Digitonthophagus gazella preferred dung from Texoma MaxQII compared with endophyte-infected Kentucky31 pasture.…”

Section: Delivering Epichloë Into Managed Pastomentioning

confidence: 99%

Epichloë Fungal Endophytes—From a Biological Curiosity in Wild Grasses to an Essential Component of Resilient High Performing Ryegrass and Fescue Pastures

Caradus¹,

Johnson

2020

JoF

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The relationship between Epichloë endophytes found in a wide range of temperate grasses spans the continuum from antagonistic to mutualistic. The diversity of asexual mutualistic types can be characterised by the types of alkaloids they produce in planta. Some of these are responsible for detrimental health and welfare issues of ruminants when consumed, while others protect the host plant from insect pests and pathogens. In many temperate regions they are an essential component of high producing resilient tall fescue and ryegrass swards. This obligate mutualism between fungus and host is a seed-borne technology that has resulted in several commercial products being used with high uptake rates by end-user farmers, particularly in New Zealand and to a lesser extent Australia and USA. However, this has not happened by chance. It has been reliant on multi-disciplinary research teams undertaking excellent science to understand the taxonomic relationships of these endophytes, their life cycle, symbiosis regulation at both the cellular and molecular level, and the impact of secondary metabolites, including an understanding of their mammalian toxicity and bioactivity against insects and pathogens. Additionally, agronomic trials and seed biology studies of these microbes have all contributed to the delivery of robust and efficacious products. The supply chain from science, through seed companies and retailers to the end-user farmer needs to be well resourced providing convincing information on the efficacy and ensuring effective quality control to result in a strong uptake of these Epichloë endophyte technologies in pastoral agriculture.

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Section: Delivering Epichloë Into Managed Pastomentioning

confidence: 99%

Epichloë Fungal Endophytes—From a Biological Curiosity in Wild Grasses to an Essential Component of Resilient High Performing Ryegrass and Fescue Pastures

Caradus¹,

Johnson

2020

JoF

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“…Cattle diet changes the pH and nutrient availability within dung produced, which can lead to Onthophagus binodis Thunberg, 1818 females requiring additional nitrogen for egg maturation (Cambefort, 1984, 1991; Dadour & Cook, 1996; Madzivhe et al, 2021). The nutritional content and physical parameters of dung—that is, moisture content, pH, mineral content, energy content, and C:N ratio—affect the size of dung beetles, which, in turn, influences their capacity to compete within and between the species for resources (Dadour & Cook, 1996; Macqueen et al, 1986; Shymanovich et al, 2020). Seasonality of pastures and subsequent dung composition affect dung beetle reproduction (Edwards, 1991; Greenham, 1972; Hughes & Walker, 1970; Kaur et al, 2021; Kunz, 1980; Macqueen et al, 1986; Matthiessen & Hayles, 1983), and there is currently only a single study into the influence of pasture species on the dung quality and the subsequent influence on dung beetle reproduction (Ridsdill‐Smith, 1986).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pasture diet of cattle contributes to the reproductive success of dung beetles

Heddle

Hemmings

Burns

et al. 2023

Agri and Forest Entomology

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Cattle diet plays a crucial role in the quality of dung and the consequent reproductive capacity of dung beetles. We investigated how three pasture types (improved native, forage oat and inter‐sown rye/clover) influence the dung quality, the number of broods and reproductive output measured as brood size (dry weight and ellipsoid volume), development time and F1 progeny size (beetle length and pronotum width) of Onthophagus binodis, Euoniticellus africanus and Euoniticellus intermedius. Nitrogen content was highest in rye/clover‐derived dung compared with improved native and forage oat. Improved native‐derived dung had the highest carbon, energy, organic matter, pH and insoluble non‐starch polysaccharide content, whereas forage oat had the lowest contents. Forage oat had the highest moisture content, ash and soluble non‐starch polysaccharide content compared with the other pastures. Progeny length was influenced by pasture type, with female E. intermedius, and males and females of O. binodis being 11.4%, 11.2% and 7.3% longer, respectively, in rye/clover‐derived dung than forage oat dung. The pronotum width of O. binodis F1 progeny was 9.8% wider when produced from rye/clover dung than forage oat. Rye/clover‐ and improved native‐derived dung provided the best resource for dung beetle reproduction compared with forage oat dung. Based on this study, cattle diet is important for consideration when evaluating reproductive ability and progeny measurements. Cattle diet should be further investigated as only three pasture types were investigated out of a numerous number of species and combinations.

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