Absorption and translocation of Penicillium by ryegrass plants

Authors: Smith GS, White EP, Mortimer PH, di Menna ME
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 28, Issue 6, pp 123-124, Jun 1980
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: General
Subject Terms: Fungal/yeast, Locomotor, Mycotoxicosis, Nervous system/neurology, Pasture/crop, Poisoning - plant, Disease/defect, Toxicology
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: Tremorgens produced by Penicillium spp. cause the neurological disturbances of tremors, incoordination of movement, and sometimes collapse, when dosed to laboratory animals or calves. The close similarity of the neurotoxic syndrome produced in sheep and cattle by oral doses of Penicillium spp. to the seasonal disease of grazing ruminants, known as ryegrass staggers in New Zealand and Australia. was first illustrated by the investigation of di Menna et al. Penicillia, including tremorgenic species, are common in New Zealand soils but relatively rare on the leaves of pasture plants. Although grazing animals ingest soil, faecal samples of representative animals generally contain insufficient propagules of Penicillia to account for ryegrass staggers in affected sheep.  An alternative possibility is that Penicillia tremorgens produced in soil are absorbed by plants on which the animals are grazing…

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