FERTILITY INDICES IN CROSS-POLLINATED GRASSES

1962 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 460-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. P. Knowles ◽  
H. Baenziger

Floret fertility indices of 0.62, 0.65, 0.46, and 0.57, respectively, were shown by northern commercial bromegrass, diploid Fairway crested wheatgrass, tetraploid Summit crested wheatgrass, and Ree intermediate wheatgrass. Southern strains of bromegrass were lower in fertility than northern bromegrass and this was reflected in lower seed yields. The Summit variety of crested wheatgrass was lower in fertility than the Nordan variety. Years and replications influenced the fertility indices of grasses but less so than strains. Good uniformity in fertility was observed for central sections of spikes in the wheatgrasses. Upper florets within spikelets were less fertile than lower florets in all grasses. Somewhat lower fertility indices were found for border plants in space-planted nurseries than in the centers of nurseries.

1960 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Lawrence ◽  
D. H. Heinrichs ◽  
R. B. Carson

A study was conducted with Altai wild rye (Elymus angustus Trin.), Russian wild rye (Elymus junceus), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), and intermediate wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium) on their relative merits as forage crops in the arid climate of Saskatchewan. The data show that Altai wild rye produced as much forage as Russian wild rye but less than crested wheatgrass and intermediate wheatgrass. However, it appeared to be less competitive with alfalfa than the other grasses in the test. The nutritive value of Altai wild rye was as good as or better than that of the other grasses; it excelled all of them in crude protein content throughout the season and contained about the same amount of fibre and fat at most stages of development; its ash content was higher than that of the other three grasses in 1954, a wet year, but only higher than the two wheatgrasses in 1957, a very dry year. Comparisons regarding palatability and digestibility suggest that Altai wild rye equals the better grasses in this respect. The study also indicates that nutritive value of grasses throughout the growing season varies much more in wet years when normal plant development occurs, than in dry years when growth is slow and sporadic.


1966 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Kilcher ◽  
D. H. Heinrichs ◽  
K. W. Clark

Crested wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, streambank wheatgrass, Russian wild ryegrass, awnless brome, green needlegrass, and Rambler alfalfa were used in 10 mixtures, each comprised of two grasses and alfalfa. The study was conducted during the 1955 to 1962 period on a dryland site in the semiarid prairie region at Swift Current, Sask. Account was taken of the seasonal yields and basal area changes of the components making up the mixtures. Combinations of persistent grasses inflicted a deleterious two-way squeeze on the alfalfa associate and resulted in lower yields. Among the worst in this respect were Russian wild ryegrass, streambank wheatgrass, and awnless brome. Among the least competitive were intermediate wheatgrass and green needlegrass. The latter showed the most promise as a natural second grass component since it developed, persisted, and yielded well but did not suppress associated components.


1978 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. O. THORLACIUS ◽  
W. COATES ◽  
M. FELDMAN

In 1972, crested wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, and bromegrass hay were harvested with a Hesston 30 stacking wagon, McKee 1000 stacking wagon, and conventional baler. Crested wheatgrass was stacked at 35 and 29% moisture, intermediate wheatgrass at 38 and 27% moisture, and bromegrass at 41 and 31% moisture. Crested wheatgrass was baled at 23 and 19%, intermediate wheatgrass at 27 and 22%, and bromegrass at 30 and 20% moisture. In 1973, the same grass species were harvested at two moisture levels, 20 and 12% for crested wheatgrass, 25 and 19% for intermediate wheatgrass, and 24 and 20% for bromegrass with a Hesston 10 stacking wagon, Vermeer 605 round baler, and conventional baler. Dry matter intake by lambs and digestibility measurements (in vivo 1972, in vitro 1973) indicated that with the exception of bromegrass harvested in 1972, harvesting machine had little effect on hay quality. In 1972, bromegrass harvested with the stacking wagons was inferior in quality to the baled hay. The effect of moisture level at harvest was dependent on species of grass, harvesting machine, and weather conditions during harvest.


1989 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 513-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. JEFFERSON ◽  
D. A. JOHNSON ◽  
K. H. ASAY

Studies were conducted to compare the effect of glaucousness on the response of perennial range grasses to drought stress. Glaucous and nonglaucous plants of an intermediate wheatgrass hybrid (Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth and D. R. Dewey × T. intermedium-acutum D.R. Dewey pers. commun.) and an interspecific hybrid of crested wheatgrass (induced tetraploid Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertner s. lat. × A. desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Schultes) were studied in field nurseries for epicuticular wax production, leaf water potential, leaf reflectance of radiation and leaf temperature. Glaucous plants of intermediate wheatgrass had higher epicuticular wax production, increased leaf reflection of radiation, lower midday canopy temperatures, and higher predawn leaf water potentials than non-glaucous plants. Similar trends were observed for the crested wheatgrass hybrids except that glaucousness did not affect midday plant temperatures. A greenhouse experiment involved comparison of glaucous and non-glaucous synthetics of Altai wild ryegrass (Leymus angustus (Trin.) Pilger Dewey). Leaves of glaucous Altai wild ryegrass reflected more radiation and used water less efficiently (total biomass basis) at high soil water content than leaves of the nonglaucous synthetic. At low soil water content, glaucous Altai wild ryegrass had higher leaf temperature and higher midday leaf water potential. Glaucous and nonglaucous Altai synthetics did not differ significantly for shoot yield, total biomass yield, and water use efficiency (shoot yield basis) at either soil water content. While glaucousness may affect water relations of these grasses, it does not necessarily affect forage yield.Key words: Water use efficiency, drought stress, leaf radiation reflectance, crested wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, Altai wild ryegrass


1975 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 573-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. SMITH ◽  
L. E. LUTWICK

Total-N and NO3-N content of forage were determined for six grass species — timothy (Phleum pratense L.); crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.); intermediate wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium (Host) Beauv.); stream-bank wheatgrass (Agropyron riparium Scribn. and Smith); bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.); and Russian wild ryegrass (Elymus junceus Fisch.). The grasses were fertilized with ammonium nitrate in early spring and were sampled at four levels of applied N — 0, 185, 550, and 940 kg/ha — and at three stages of maturity — early heading, anthesis, and seed-set. Total-N and NO3-N increased in all grasses with increasing levels of N fertilizer; Russian wild ryegrass showed the greatest increase and timothy the least. As maturity advanced, total-N content decreased. Total-N contents were similar in crested wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, and streambank wheatgrass. As maturity advanced, the NO3-N content of fertilized timothy, crested wheatgrass, and bromegrass decreased while that of Russian wild ryegrass increased. The NO3-N content of intermediate wheatgrass and of stream-bank wheatgrass was highest at anthesis. At 0 and 185 kg N/ha, the NO3-N content was well below the lethal level for ruminants, but at the two higher N fertilizer levels it often exceeded the lethal level. Timothy can be considered a low, Russian wild ryegrass a very high, and the other four grasses high, NO3-N accumulators.


1985 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 581-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. SIMONS ◽  
A. T. H. GROSS

In an experiment to investigate the relationship between nitrogen fertilization and forage yield, four grass species, bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.), intermediate wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium (Host) Beauv.), crested wheatgrass (A. cristatum (L.) Gaertn.) and Russian wild ryegrass (Elymus junceus Fisch.), were sown in each of 3 yr on two soil types, a clay loam and a sandy loam. Five N treatments up to 252 kg N∙ha−1∙year−1 were imposed and data were collected for each of the 3 yr following the seeding year on each plot. There was considerable variation in the dry matter yields between seeding years and postseeding years. On the clay loam soil, the first year after seeding was generally the most productive whereas on the sandy loam the second harvest year produced the most. Intermediate wheatgrass was the most productive grass on the clay loam soil, crested wheatgrass on the sandy loam soil. Bromegrass produced well on both types while Russian wild ryegrass was the least productive on both soils. All species responded well to additional N. There was no advantage to split N application. The N content of forage was similar in all four species and on both soil types but was increased by fertilizer N.Key words: Bromegrass, wheatgrass, Russian wild ryegrass, nitrogen, forage yield, establishment year.


1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Webber ◽  
F. C. H. Yeh

The hypothesis that pollen arriving first to receptive seed-cone buds has an advantage over pollen arriving later (first-on, first-in) was tested in Douglas-fir using two reciprocal pollination experiments. In the first test, one each of two outcross-pollen parents was applied first followed by the other 5 min or 24 h later. In the second test, self- and outcross-pollen parents were compared in a similar reciprocal arrangement 5 min, 6 h, and 24 h apart. Electrophoretic analysis of isocitrate dehydrogenase alleles was used to distinguish between the two pollen parents in resultant seeds. When a second pollen parent arrived within 5 min of the first, both contributed to the seed produced. However, when the second pollen parent arrived 6 or 24 h later, its contribution to the resultant seed was less. Pollen fertility potential interacted with arrival time and affected both seed yields and parental composition. When pollen of lower fertility was applied first followed by a higher fertility pollen, seed yields were lower; as the time interval for the arrival of the second pollen parent increased to 24 h, the percent contribution of the first pollen increased. However, when the higher fertility pollen was applied first, there was little effect of the lower fertility pollen arriving within 5 min or 24 h.


1966 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. L. Crowle

Nine perennial grasses were grown for seed under irrigation and dryland conditions using 3-ft and 1-ft row spacing, and with and without fertilizer. Grasses were quite specific in their seed yield response. All grasses benefited from irrigation, some more than others. Three-foot row spacings resulted in higher seed yields for crested wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, tall wheatgrass, and Russian wild ryegrass for both dryland and irrigation. The 3-ft spacing gave reduced seed yields for creeping red fescue and Kentucky bluegrass for both irrigated and dryland conditions. Wide spacing benefited slender wheatgrass only on dryland. Fertilizer gave quite inconsistent responses, and for slender wheatgrass, creeping red fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass under dryland conditions, fertilizer caused a reduction in seed yields. Fertilizer resulted in reduced yields of tall wheatgrass when grown under irrigation.


1958 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Kilcher ◽  
D. H. Heinrichs

Crested wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, and streambank wheat-grass, chosen for diversity of root type, were compared for yield and competitive ability when growing alone, in mixture with alfalfa, and in alternate rows with alfalfa. For each seeding method the order of the grass species yield performance was the same, but the magnitude of the yield difference varied by seeding methods. In pure stands the yield difference between the low and high producing grass was 50 per cent, in mixture with alfalfa 170 per cent, and in alternate rows with alfalfa 220 per cent. The total yield was greatest in alternate rows and smallest in pure grass stands (fertilized). In 1954 grass and alfalfa growing in alternate rows outyielded grass and alfalfa in mixed rows by 4 per cent; in 1955, by 10 per cent; in 1956, a dry year, by 33 per cent; and in 1957, an extremely dry year, by 137 per cent. The relative stand of alfalfa to grass was greater when growing in alternate rows as compared to mixed rows. This relationship held for all grass species but was less pronounced for streambank wheatgrass, the least competitive species of the three grasses.


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