Common practices in wholesale-retail chains are ill-suited to handle novel endophyte products and must be altered to ensure proper retention of endophyte viability. Systems must be instituted that continue monitoring for endophyte viability after the initial 7- to 9-mo period after harvest. Monitoring procedures must be devised that ensure that storage conditions are maintained at predetermined temperature and humidity (Rolston and Agee, 2007). Any novel endophyte seed not sold and returned from the marketing chains must not be sold again as a "novel" endophyte product (Rolston and Agee, 2007).
Once novel endophyte seed has been purchased by producers, it must be treated in a manner that maximizes continued endophyte viability. Common mistakes include storage at too high temperature and humidity, not planting soon enough, and planting after expiration of the "Recommended Plant by Date" marked on the package. Finally, farmers must institute good establishment methods and early stand management procedures to ensure productive stands (see Chapter 5, Chapter 6, and Chapter 7). Management plans for tall fescue are available in both online and hard copy publications (Ball et al., 2007; Andrae 2003).
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