AgResearch
Browse

Characterization of proanthocyanidins from seeds of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Download (221.76 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-03, 09:34 authored by Karl FraserKarl Fraser, Vern Collette, Kerry Hancock
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) are forage species of the grass family (Poaceae) that are key components of temperate pasture-based agricultural systems. Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are oligomeric flavonoids that, when provided as part of a farm animal’s diet, have been reported to improve animal production and health. Up to now, forage grasses have been deemed not to produce PAs. This paper reports for the first time the detection of polymerized PAs in aqueous methanolic extracts of seed tissue of both perennial ryegrass and tall fescue, using LC-MS/MS. We have determined the structure of the PAs to be trans-flavan-3-ol-based, consisting predominately of afzelechin and catechin and linked primarily by B-type bonds. Investigations into the leaf tissue of both species failed to detect any PAs. This discovery opens the possibility of using genetic engineering tools to achieve tannin accumulation in leaf tissue of perennial ryegrass and tall fescue.

History

Rights statement

Copyright © 2016 American Chemical Society

Language

  • English

Does this contain Māori information or data?

  • No

Publisher

American Chemical Society

Journal title

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

ISSN

0021-8561

Citation

Fraser, K., Collette, V., & Hancock, K. R. (2016). Characterization of proanthocyanidins from seeds of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 64(35), 6676–6684. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.6b02563

Funder

Grasslanz Technology

Contract number

A20135

Job code

50140