Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Clonal evaluation for increased seed production in two species of forage grasses, Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and Phleum pratense L.

  • Published:
Euphytica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

A study was made of the seed production characters of replicated single plants of two Aberystwyth varieties, S.170 tall fescue and S.48 timothy, and estimates were made of the total genetic variation and the heritability of each character. Six-plant selections were made from each of the two varieties, and performance trials indicated that seed yield had been increased by 20% in tall fescue and 47% in timothy. As indicated by the measurements on single plants, increases in seed weight per inflorescence were almost wholly responsible for the increase in seed yield, with the number of inflorescences remaining unaltered in the two new selections. The mean inflorescence size of both selections was similar to that of the two varieties, but floret fertility and 1000-seed weight were significantly increased. In S.48 timothy there was also an improvement in the facility with which seed could be threshed from the mature inflorescence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Burton, G. W. & De, Vane, E. H., 1953. Estimating heritability in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) from replicated clonal material. Agron. J. 45: 478–481.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton, G. W., 1959. Breeding methods for pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) indicated by genetic variance component studies. Agron. J. 51: 479–481.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowan, J. R., 1955. Rep. 9th West Grass Breeders Work Planning Conf.; 26–30.

  • Johnson, H. W., Robinson, H. F. & Comstock, R. E., 1955. Estimates of genetic and environmental variability in soybeans. Agron. J. 47: 314–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowe, C. C. & Murphy, R. P., 1955. Open-pollinated seed setting among self-sterile clones of smooth bromegrass. Agron. J. 47: 221–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaaf, H. M., Rogler, G. A. & Lorenz, R. J., 1962. Importance of variations in forage yield, seed yield and seed weight to the improvement of crested wheatgrass. Crop Sci. 2: 67–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slinkard, A. E., 1965. Fertility in intermediate wheatgrass Agropyron intermedium (Host) Beauv. Crop Sci. 5: 363–365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, J. R., & Frakes, R. V., 1967. Clonal and progeny evaluations in two populations of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb). Crop Sci. 7: 55–58.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth, Wales

    E. W. Bean

Authors
  1. E. W. Bean
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bean, E.W. Clonal evaluation for increased seed production in two species of forage grasses, Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and Phleum pratense L.. Euphytica 21, 377–383 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00036778

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00036778

Keywords

Search

Navigation