Determination of ergovaline in tall fescue by a specific monoclonal antibody

A monoclonal antibody (EV5B3) was developed using a conjugate of ergovaline and bovine serum albumin linked at the indole N(1) of the ergovaline molec ule. This resulted in an antibody specific for the distal cyclol peptide mo iety of ergovaline. As a result the antibody was specific for ergot peptide alkaloids having an isopropyl group, at the C(5') position of the peptide. in a competitive indirect ELISA (CI-ELISA) the antibody could be used to d etect ergovaline in plant material down to 16 ng g(-1), and the assay was h ighly correlated with the standard HPLC method of detection for this compou nd.