USDA-ARS-PPRL

Daniel CookResearch Plant Physiologist

Plant Environment Interactions

Biotic Stresses-Bacteria, Fungi, Insects, Small Animals, Large Animals

Abiotic Stresses-Temperature, Water Availability, Nutrients

Coevolution – mutual evolutionary influence between two species example: chemical changes in response to herbivory lead to compensatory metabolic changes in herbivores to adapt to the new plant chemistry, ultimately leading to further changes in plantchemistry

Chemical Defenses – chemicals produced by the plant that deter hebivory orinvasion by other organisms

examples: alkaloids, terpenes, tannins

Physical Defenses – physical characteristics of the plant that deter herbivoryor invasion by other organisms

examples: spines, thorns, lignified tissue, leaf hairs, leaf waxes

Genotype EnvironmentGenotype x Environment

ChemicalChemicalPhenotypePhenotype

Quantitative and Quantitative and QualitativeQualitative

Questions

Can plant toxins vary seasonally?

Can plant toxins vary as a function of plant growth and development?

Can plant toxins vary as a function of time of day?

Are all plants of the same species toxic?

Larkspur Alkaloids Vary as a Function of the Time of Year

Larkspur Alkaloids Vary as a Function of Plant Part and Time of Year

Lupine Alkaloids Vary as a Function of the Time of Day

Lupine Species

N

N

O

H

HH

TeratogenicTeratogenic AlkaloidsAlkaloids

AnagyrineAnagyrine

N

N

O

*

AmmodendrineAmmodendrine

LupinusLupinus sulphureussulphureus

QuinolizidineQuinolizidine and and PiperidinePiperidine AlkaloidsAlkaloids

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15Time (min)

0

20

40

60

80

1000

20

40

60

80

100

Rel

ativ

e Ab

unda

nce

0

20

40

60

80

100 9.82

12.89

9.335.88

13.124.37 12.425.18 6.22 14.3910.759.077.53 11.156.67 8.0611.979.15

9.755.87

5.685.23 8.70 11.3510.11 12.35 12.635.94 10.55 13.424.33 6.45 8.587.546.46

5.88

5.68 9.746.59 12.789.324.37 7.00 11.2910.36 14.397.99 13.1712.41

AmmodendrineAmmodendrine

ThermopsineThermopsine

AnagyrineAnagyrine

Pendleton, ORPendleton, OR

Clarkston, WAClarkston, WA

Ritzville, WARitzville, WA

LupinusLupinus leucophyllusleucophyllus

Chemical Fingerprint (Chemical Fingerprint (QuinolizidineQuinolizidine Alkaloids)Alkaloids)

6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20Time (min)

0

20

40

60

80

1000

20

40

60

80

100 8.4210.03

17.589.76

5.88

13.11

19.5617.258.8113.5510.40 17.9311.34 15.706.49 7.57

10.00

10.429.33

9.255.8712.81

10.57 11.286.87 13.25 14.39 16.20 19.7117.949.067.53

Pendleton, ORPendleton, OR

Ritzville, WARitzville, WA

Rel

ativ

e A

bund

ance

Rel

ativ

e A

bund

ance

AnagyrineAnagyrine

Delphinium (Larkspurs)

• Diverse group• Divided into three categories:

– tall (barbeyi, occidentale, ramosum, glaucum)– low (nuttallianum, andersonii, bicolor)– plains (geyeri)

• Cause $6-10 million in losses annually

Delphinium Spp.Delphinium Spp.

Larkspurs: Extent of the Problem

• Marsh (1913) stated that larkspurs kill more cattle on western ranges than any other plant (locoweed excepted)

• Tall larkspurs- serious problem on mountain rangelands

• Low larkspurs- problematic on foothill and mountain ranges.

• Plains larkspur- persistent problem on High Plains (particularly Wyoming & Colorado)

Tall larkspurs

• Tall larkspurs: found in mountain habitat in the western U.S. - generally moist sites - 6,000 to 10,000 feet elevation

• Tall larkspur sites typically snow-covered during winter

• Tall larkspurs grow in forb-dominated sites; very nutritious forage and high carrying capacity

Distribution of Four of the Major Tall Larkspur Speciesin the Western United States

Larkspur Species contain Norditerpene Alkaloidsthat Differ in their Toxicity

NCH3CH2

OH

OH

OCH3

CH3O HH

OCH3O

O

N

O

O

OCH3

NCH3CH2

O

O

OCH3

CH3O OHH

O

OCH3

O

Deltaline(LD50=~120 mg/kg)MDL-type alkaloid

Methyllycaconitine(LD50=~4 mg/kg)

MSAL-type alkaloid

The Two The Two ChemotypesChemotypes of of DuncecapDuncecap LarkspurLarkspur

508

508

683

669 711578

578

476

476

Chemotype A

Chemotype B

MDL-type alkaloids MSAL-type alkaloids

Previous Research has Identified Larkspur Populationswith Chemotypes A and B

Chemotype A Chemotype B

Logan, UT Jackson, WYMendon, UT Alpine, WYFairview, UT Park Valley, UTSalina, UT Oakley, IDYampa, CO Clifton, ID

Objective

To determine if Chemotype A populations are more widespread geographically or if they are sporadic in nature

508

508

683

669 711578

578

476

476

Chemotype A

Chemotype B

MDL-type alkaloids MSAL-type alkaloids

DuncecapDuncecap Larkspur Plants that have Larkspur Plants that have ChemotypeChemotype A (no MSAL A (no MSAL type alkaloids) have a defined geographical distributiontype alkaloids) have a defined geographical distribution

Survey of Herbarium SpecimensSurvey of Herbarium Specimens

--27 samples Cache County27 samples Cache County--12 of 15 samples Utah County 12 of 15 samples Utah County --13 samples Wasatch County13 samples Wasatch County--10 samples Duchesne County10 samples Duchesne County--6 samples Rich County6 samples Rich County--5 samples Uintah County5 samples Uintah County--5 samples Millard County5 samples Millard County--5 samples eastern Juab County5 samples eastern Juab County--4 samples Salt Lake County4 samples Salt Lake County--3 samples Tooele County3 samples Tooele County--3 samples Weber County3 samples Weber County--2 samples Carbon County2 samples Carbon County--1 sample Davis County1 sample Davis County--1 sample 1 sample DaggetDagget CountyCounty--1 sample Emery County1 sample Emery County--1 sample Sevier County1 sample Sevier County

DuncecapDuncecap Larkspur Plants that have Larkspur Plants that have ChemotypeChemotype B (MSAL B (MSAL type alkaloids) have a defined geographical distributiontype alkaloids) have a defined geographical distribution

Survey of Herbarium Specimens

-10 Samples Box Elder County-6 samples Western Juab County -3 of 15 samples Utah County-2 samples Sevier County

What What chemotype(schemotype(s) is/are found in the other states where ) is/are found in the other states where DuncecapDuncecap Larkspur may be found?Larkspur may be found?

Only Chemotypes A is found in Colorado

What What chemotype(schemotype(s) is/are found in the other states where ) is/are found in the other states where DuncecapDuncecap Larkspur may be found?Larkspur may be found?

Both Chemotypes A and B are found in Idaho and Wyoming-populations of chemotype A overlap with Utah populations

What What chemotype(schemotype(s) is/are found in the other states where ) is/are found in the other states where DuncecapDuncecap Larkspur may be found? Larkspur may be found?

Only Chemotype B that contains MLA is found in Nevada and Montana

Genotype EnvironmentGenotype x Environment

ChemicalChemicalPhenotypePhenotype

Quantitative and Quantitative and QualitativeQualitative

Conclusions

-Duncecap larkspur has two chemotypes that potentially differ in their toxicity

-The two chemotypes have defined geographical distributions

-The chemotypes are stable over multiple years suggesting that they are not influenced by the environment

-The biological mechanism responsible for this observation is unknown

Questions

Can plant toxins vary seasonally?

Can plant toxins vary as a function of plant growth and development?

Can plant toxins vary as a function of time of day?

Are all plants of the same species toxic?