Fungi and ryegrass staggers

Abstract

Many pastures with a history of ryegrass staggers were examined for fungi before, during and after outbreaks of the disease. No fungi were unique to pastures on which animals were staggering, but some fungi occurred in greater quantities in toxic pastures. Outbreaks of staggers were associated with the presence of litter in pastures. The incidence of staggers increased among animals grazing on plots sprayed with fungicides. In these sprayed plots the numbers of most fungus species were greatly reduced but some were increased. It is possible that fungi resistant to benomyl are responsible for ryegrass staggers.