Genetic variation in water-soluble carbohydrate concentration in diverse cultivars of Dactylis glomerata L. during vegetative growth
Y. Sanada A B , T. Takai A and T. Yamada AA National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region, Hitsujigaoka 1, Toyohira, Sapporo, 062-8555, Japan.
B Corresponding author. Email: ysanada@affrc.go.jp
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 55(11) 1183-1187 https://doi.org/10.1071/AR04033
Submitted: 11 February 2004 Accepted: 15 September 2004 Published: 26 November 2004
Abstract
The water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content of Dactylis glomerata L. (cocksfoot) during vegetative growth is lower than that of other temperate grasses. Variation in the WSC content of vegetative growth among cultivars was measured in order to assess the potential to improve forage quality. There were significant differences among cultivars for WSC content (P < 0.01) in all maturity groups. Average WSC content of the late (L) maturity group was higher than that of the early (E) and medium (M) maturity groups. Variation in the WSC content was largest among group L cultivars and smallest in group M. The WSC content of cultivars in groups M and L was consistent across 2 years (interactions between cultivars and years were not significant). Brown stripe infection was shown to reduce WSC content in susceptible cultivars. As a result of multiple regression analysis with WSC content as the dependent variable, dry matter content, heading date, thickness of stems, and resistance to brown stripe were selected as independent variables that were correlated with WSC. Therefore, variation for these traits must also be monitored in any program to increase WSC content in orchardgrass.
Additional keywords: germplasm, orchardgrass.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to express their sincere thanks to Dr K. F. Smith, Plant Genetics and Genomics, Department of Primary Industries, Hamilton, Victoria, Australia, and Dr H. Yamaguchi, NARCH, for critical reading of the manuscript. The authors thank H. Morishita for field management and Dr R. A. B. M. Golam for NIR analysis.
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