Newly discovered ergot alkaloids in Sorghum ergot Claviceps africana occurring for the first time in Israel

•Ergot disease was identified for the first time in sorghum fields in Israel.•Dihydrolysergol was identified for the first time as a significant ergot alkaloid component.•The medically utilized ergot alkaloid dihydroergotamine was identified within the sclerotia of C. africana.•Ergot infected sorghum silages were determined to be safe for feed consumption at the honeydew stage.

Sorghum ergot is a disease caused commonly by C. africana. In 2015, ergot was identified for the first time in sorghum fields in Israel, leading to measures of eradication and quarantine. The aims of the study were to identify the ergot species by molecular and ergot alkaloid profile analysis, to determine the ergot alkaloid profile in pure honeydew and in infected sorghum silages and to estimate the safety of sorghum silages as a feed source. C. africana was rapidly and reliably identified by microscopical and molecular analysis. Dihydroergosine was identified as the major ergot alkaloid. Dihydrolysergol and dihydroergotamine were identified for the first time as significant ergot alkaloid components within the C. africana sclerotia, thereby providing for the first time a proof for the natural occurrence of dihydroergotamine. The sorghum silages were found to be safe for feed consumption, since the ergot alkaloids and the regulated mycotoxins were below their regulated limits.