Register      Login
Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > AN > EA03196
CULTIVAR
Contents Vol 44(9)

Fraydo tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea L.)

K. F. M. Reed A D , C. K. Lee A B , M. Z. Z. Jahufer A C and M. W. Anderson A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Primary Industries, Primary Industries Research Victoria, Private Bag 105, Hamilton, Vic. 3300, Australia.

B Present address: Henderson Seed Group Pty Ltd, Bulleen, Vic. 3105, Australia.

C Present address: Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Ltd, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

D Corresponding author. Email: Kevin.Reed@dpi.vic.gov.au

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44(9) 955-957 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA03196
Submitted: 30 September 2003  Accepted: 14 January 2004   Published: 22 October 2004

Abstract

Fraydo, a 10-parent synthetic cultivar based on selection from Melik tall fescue is a most productive, highly winter-active cultivar that exhibits little summer activity. Its summer dormancy is associated with persistence over long hot summers. It has an erect growth habit with a long stem and short spike length relative to other cultivars. Maturity, as reflected by date of head emergence, is similar to that for Demeter. Fraydo is well adapted to the environment of south-western Victoria where the original parental selections were made. Fraydo is especially productive in the 7–8 month growing season/550–700 mm annual rainfall districts. Evidence is emerging that it is highly palatable to sheep and well adapted to a wide range of environments in temperate Australia.


Acknowledgments

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) staff who assisted at various stages in the breeding, seed increase and pre-release evaluation of Fraydo included Dr Howard Eagles (Geneticist), Gavin Kearney (Biometrician), Malcolm Anderson, and several former members of the DPI plant breeding group at Hamilton: Dr Shoba Venkatanagappa (progeny evaluation), Jesuwary Arulthilikan (endophyte screening), Ruth Raleigh, Scott Woollard, Felicity Gawler, Jeff Rowe, Shane Arnold and Harry Armstrong. The Meat Research Corporation financially supported the National Tall Fescue Breeding Programme carried out by DPI Victoria and NSW Agriculture. Mr Don Gant kindly provided access to land and sheep via the cooperation of Mr Barry Matthews, manager of Arundale, Balmoral.


Seed released by: Seed, Grain and Biotechnology Australia Pty Ltd.


Seed licenced to: Seedmark (Seed Technology and Marketing Pty Ltd), 78 Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Hilton, SA 5033, Australia.


References


Anderson MW, Cunningham PJ, Reed KFM, Byron A (1999) Perennial grasses of Mediterranean origin offer advantages for central western Victorian sheep pasture. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 39, 275–284.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Avery A, Anderson MA (2000) Tall fescue, cv. Fraydo. Plant Varieties Journal 13, 34–36. open url image1

Culvenor RA, Reed KFM, Boschma S (2003) Persistence under grazing by introduced temperate perennial grasses in New South Wales and Victoria. In ‘Proceedings of the 1st joint conference of the grassland societies of Victoria and NSW’. pp. 84–86. (Grassland Society of Victoria Inc.: Mornington, Vic.)

Jahufer MZZ, Reed KFM, Croft VM, Wilkinson T (2002) The winter growth and persistence of tall fescue under continuous sheep grazing in central western Victoria. In ‘Proceedings of the 43rd annual Grassland Society of Victoria Inc. conference’. pp. 126–129. (Grassland Society of Victoria: Mornington, Vic.)

Oram RN (1990) ‘Register of Australian herbage plant cultivars.’ 3rd edn. (Australian Herbage Plant Registration Authority, Division of Plant Industry and CSIRO Publications: Melbourne)

Reed KFM (1987) Agronomic objectives for pasture plant improvement. In ‘Temperate pastures: their production use and management’. (Eds. JL Wheeler, CJ Pearson, GE Robards) pp. 265–271. (Australian Wool Corporation/CSIRO: Melbourne)

Reed KFM, Clement SL, Feely WF, Clark B (2004) Improving tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) for cool season vigour. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44, open url image1

Rodgers AL, Bailey ET (1981) Perennial pasture grasses in South Western Australia. 2. Production in small swards. Technical Bulletin 56, Department of Agriculture Western Australia.

Rodgers AL, Beresford JD (1970) Winter production and persistence of perennial grasses in the medium rainfall region of south Western Australia. CSIRO Division of Plant Industry Field Station Record 9, 85–92. open url image1

Smith KF (1999) The effect of low temperature on the germination of amenity tall fescue cultivars. In ‘Proceedings of the 11th Australian plant breeding conference’. (Eds P Langridge, A Barr, G Auricht, G Collins, A Granger, D Handford, J Paull) pp. 55–56. (CRC Molecular Plant Breeding: Adelaide)

Villata ON, Clark RG (1995) Evaluation of genotypes of tall fescue for resistance to Puccinia graminis spp. graminis in controlled conditions. Australasian Plant Pathology 24, 82–87.
| Crossref |
open url image1