Variability and Inheritance of Digestibility in Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne), Meadow Fescue (Festuca pratensis) and Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata)

1986 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. J. Frandsen
Keyword(s):  
Lolium Perenne ◽  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Dactylis Glomerata ◽  
Festuca Pratensis ◽  
Meadow Fescue

scholarly journals Evaluation of a meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) population from Northland

1995 ◽  
pp. 69-72
Author(s):  
B.M. Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Lolium Perenne ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Dactylis Glomerata ◽  
Phalaris Arundinacea ◽  
Festuca Pratensis ◽  
Meadow Fescue ◽  
Canary Grass

Meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) is not commonly. recognised as a significant pasture species in New Zealand. On a Northland dairy farm near Kaitaia a population of meadow fescue was increasing and providing significant feed in drought years. Meadow fescue ecotype seed lines from Kaitatia were collected and compared for relative vigour to Grasslands Supernui perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), Grasslands Wana and Grasslands Kara cockSfoot (Dactylis glomerata), Palaton and Venture reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) and Grasslands Advance tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Variation occurred within the 22 meadow fescue lines in terms of early growth, 4 lines being superior to Advance tall fescue during winter and spring. Overseas lines failed to persist. Vigour of remaining lines declined as the trial progressed, Persistent meadow fescue plants remained small and were slow to tiller. Overseas meadow fescue introductions had no endophyte present, but local lines contained Acremonium uncinatum which does not produce the mammalian mycotoxins Iolitrem B and ergovaline. Unless a specific role for the species can be determined further work is largely unjustified, as productivity did not surpass that of control species. Animal health relationships with different endophytes warrant further,jnvestigation. 3 Keywords: Dactylis glomerata, ecotypes, endophytes, 'Festuca arundinacea, Festuca pratensis Huds., Lolium perenne, Northland, Phalaris arundinacea

scholarly journals Can pasture persistence be improved through the use of nonryegrass species?

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 157-162
Author(s):  
G.D. Milne
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Water Temperature ◽  
Lolium Perenne ◽  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Dactylis Glomerata ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Nutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Recent Discussion

Recent discussion about pasture persistence concentrates on pastures based on perennial ryegrass, the most commonly used grass species. This paper raises the question as to whether some of the causes of poor pasture persistence are due to perennial ryegrass being used in environments to which it is not suited. The adaptation to environmental stresses, particularly water, temperature and nutrient deficiencies, in different regions of New Zealand of tall fescue, cocksfoot, phalaris, and lucerne are discussed, and how this impacts on persistence advantages over perennial ryegrass. Keywords: persistence, pasture, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca arundinacea, Lolium perenne, Medicago sativa, Phalaris aquatica

scholarly journals Contribution of different grass species to plant-atmosphere ammonia exchange in intensively managed grassland

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Mattsson ◽  
B. Herrmann ◽  
S. Jones ◽  
A. Neftel ◽  
M. A. Sutton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Lolium Perenne ◽  
Dactylis Glomerata ◽  
Phleum Pratense ◽  
Compensation Point ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Festuca Pratensis ◽  
Apoplastic Ph ◽  
Intensively Managed ◽  
Ammonia Exchange

Abstract. Species diversity in grasslands usually declines with increasing input of nitrogen from fertilizers or atmospheric deposition. Conversely, species diversity may also impact the build-up of soil and plant nitrogen pools. One important pool is NH3/NH4+ which also can be exchanged between plant leaves and the atmosphere. Limited information is available on how plant-atmosphere ammonia exchange is related to species diversity in grasslands. We have here investigated grass species abundance and different foliar nitrogen pools in 4-year-old intensively managed grassland. Apoplastic pH and NH4+ concentrations of the 8 most abundant species (Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Festuca pratensis, Lolium multiflorum, Poa pratensis, Dactylis glomerata, Holcus lanatus, Bromus mollis) were used to calculate stomatal NH3 compensation points. Apoplastic NH4+ concentrations differed considerably among the species, ranging from 13 to 117 μM, with highest values in Festuca pratensis. Also apoplastic pH values varied, from pH 6.0 in Phleum pratense to 6.9 in Dactylis glomerata. The observed differences in apoplastic NH4+ and pH resulted in a large span of predicted values for the stomatal NH3 compensation point which ranged between 0.20 and 6.57 nmol mol−1. Three species (Lolium perenne, Festuca pratensis and Dactylis glomerata) had sufficiently high NH3 compensation point and abundance to contribute to the bi-directional NH3 fluxes recorded over the whole field. The other 5 grass species had NH3 compensation points considerably below the atmospheric NH3 concentration and were thus not likely to contribute to NH3 emission but only to NH3 uptake from the atmosphere. Evaluated across species, leaf bulk-tissue NH4+ concentrations correlated well (r2=0.902) with stomatal NH3 compensation points calculated on the basis of the apoplastic bioassay. This suggests that leaf tissue NH4+ concentrations combined with data for the frequency distribution of the corresponding species can be used for predicting the NH3 exchange potential of a mixed grass sward.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document