Phenotyping Genetic Diversity of Perennial Ryegrass Ecotypes (Lolium perenne L.)

Abstract

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is the most valued temperate grass species in Europe. Between 2002 and 2010, a total of 352 L. perenne accessions originating from four European countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Ireland and Spain) were evaluated in four phenotyping experiments at the Malchow experimental station of the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK). Ten plant parameters were visually scored, including development before and after winter, spring growth, plant biomass and incidence of crown rust and disease symptoms (leaf spot symptoms). Accessions from Croatia, Ireland and Spain were characterized by higher plant biomass in the 2nd scoring year than Bulgarian accessions. Considering the incidence of rust and diseases in perennial ryegrass accessions, the present study showed that the variation for scored crown rust and disease symptoms was higher in Irish and Bulgarian accessions. Correspondence analysis (CA) was carried out to examine the relationship between scored traits and 352 L. perenne accessions. The results presented in this study provide a brief description of L. perenne accessions maintained at the Satellite Collections North of the IPK Genebank.