Abstract
We developed an easy and sensitive high-performance capillary zone electrophoresis method for the determination of ergovaline in the seeds of
Festuca arundinacea (tall fescue) infected with the endophytic, ascomycetous fungus
Acremonium coenophialum. The seeds were extracted with chloroform, and the chloroform extract was filtered and evaporated with a Rotavapor. The concentrated extract was passed through a SM2 Bio-Beads and the alkaloids on the Bio-Beads were redissolved by methanol. A 60 cm × 75 μm I.D. fused-silica capillary was used for separation by capillary electrophoresis. A UV detector was used for detection, which was set at 250 nm. A 0.1
M sodium dihydrogenphosphate in 50% (v/v) methanol, pH 3.5, was used as a buffer. With this method, the ergovaline at low μg per kg seeds can be detected and quantified.