ABSTRACT
Ergot alkaloids (ergot, also known as sclerotium, is derived from the French word argot meaning “spur,” referring to the fruiting structure of the ergot fungus Claviceps that resembles the spurs on rooster legs, see Figure 86.1) are mycotoxins produced by a diversity of filamentous ascomycetes that form symbiotic or pathogenic relationships with agricultural plants (e.g., rye, wheat, barley, millet, and grasses). Typically, the mycelia of these fungal taxa invade plant seed, and generate an alkaloid-containing structure (i.e., ergot or sclerotium), which may cause ergot alkaloid poisoning (or ergotism) in humans and animals upon ingestion.
