[Jacob-list] Re; What is endophyte?

[Grose]

Endophyte is a fungus that infects fescue. It is a symbiotic parasite that bestows increased hardiness on the host plant. It aids the grass by making it unpalatable to animals and possibly making it more efficient at utilizing nutrients. At any rate, removing bug stress makes the plant healthier. One of the side effects of endophyte fescue consumption is that epidermal cells can stop growing. In severe cases, beef cows have been known to have their feet fall off. The implications of this for fleece breakage and bad horns is apparent. 
I might add that in any mixed stand of forage, we can expect the least  palatable plant to dominate the stand since it will have the least grazing stress. At any rate, many of us now accept that we will have to tolerate a certain amount of endophyte fescue as an "insurance crop".
                                                 Neal
PS: My computer "Hal" says the word is "entophyte". I don't feel like going to the barn and trying to find a seed tag to make sure.
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