Genetic analysis of yield and forage quality of parents and half sib families of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea schreb.)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, P.O.Box 13185-116, Tehran, Iran.

2 MSc student Azad University, Boroujerd Branch

Abstract

Tall fescues (Festuca arundinacea), Heritability, Yield, Quality, Gen
In order to estimate heritability, prediction of genetic gain per cycle of selection, and relationships among forage yield and quality traits of tall fescues (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), a polycross nursery containing twenty genotypes was established. At the harvest time, seeds of each genotype were collected. Both seed of half sib families and their clonally propagated parents were grown as spaced plants using a completely randomized design with four replications in Alborz Research Center, Karaj, Iran during 2001-2003. The data were collected and analyzed for dry matter yield, ear emergence date, plant height and plant diameter, water soluble carbohydrate (WSC), crude protein (CP) dry matter digestibility (DMD), crude fiber (CF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and total ash over two years. The estimates of broad sense heritability (h2b) were average to high (0.44 to 0.92) for dry matter yield and morphological traits indicating the presence of genetic variation for all of them. Narrow sense heritabilities (h2n and h2op) were average to high values for dry matter yield and heading date and lower for plant height and plant diameter, indicating the importance of additive genetic variance in controlling of dry matter yield and heading date and the importance of non-additive genetic variance in controlling of plant height and plant diameter. For all of quality traits the estimates of h2b were average to high (h2b=0.31 to 0.68). The h2n and h2op estimated values were low for WSC and DMD and the same values as h2b for other quality traits indicating the presence of non additive genetic variance for WSC and DMD and additive genetic variance in controlling of other quality traits. Predicted genetic gains per cycle of phenotypic selection for dry matter yield and heading date were 20 and 14 percent improvement from the mean of population. The genetic correlation between WSC and DMD were positively significant, while the relationships between CP and WSC were negatively significant. The genetic correlation between DMD and CP were inconsistent. Dry matter yield had a negative and non significant relationships with DMD and WSC, but the genetic correlation between dry matter yield and CP were strongly negative.
 

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

جعفری، ع. 1380. تعیین فاصله ژنتیکی 29 ژنویپ چچم دائمی (Lolium perenne)از طریق تجزیه کلاستر بر اساس عملکرد علوفه و صفات مورفولوژیکی. تحقیقات ژنتیک و اصلاح گیاهان مرتعی و جنگلی ایران شماره 6 ص 79-91. انتشارات مؤسسه تحقیقات جنگلها و مراتع، تهران.
 
Beerepoot, L.J., Bouter ,W. and Dijkstra, J.K., 1994. Breeding for improved digestibility in perennial ryegrass. Proceeding of the 19th EUCARPIA Fodder Crops Section Meeting Brugge, Belgium, pages 237-242.
Burns, J.C. and Smith, D., 1980. Non-structural carbohydrates residue, neutral detergent fiber, and in vitro dry matter disappearance of forages. Agronomy Journal 72: 276-281.
Cooper, J.P., 1962. Selection for nutritive value. Report of the Welsh Plant Breeding Station for 1961, UK, pages 145-156.
Falconer D.S. and Mackay T.F.C., 1996. Introduction to quantitative genetics, Fourth edition. Longman Group Ltd. London, 464 pages.
Frandsen, K.J., 1986. Variability and inheritance of digestibility in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis), and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata). II. F1 and F2 progeny. Acta Agricuturae Scandinavica 36: 241-263.
Hacker, J.B., 1982. Selecting and breeding better quality grasses. In: “Nutritional limits to animal production from pasture (ed. Hacker, J. B.)” Proceedings of an International Symposium, Queensland, Aug. 1981, Australia, pages 305-326.
Hayward, M.D. and Nsowah, G.F., 1969. The genetic organization of natural population of Lolium perenne. IV. Variation within populations. Heredity 24: 521-528.
Humphreys, M.O., 1989a. Water soluble carbohydrates in perennial ryegrass breeding. I. Genetic differences among cultivars and hybrid progeny grown as spaced plants. Grass and Forage Science 44: 231-236.
Humphreys, M.O., 1989b. Water soluble carbohydrates in perennial ryegrass breeding. III. Relationships with herbage production, digestibility and crude protein content. Grass and Forage Science 44: 423-430.
Jafari, A., Connolly, V., Frolich, A. and Walsh, E.J., 2003b. A note on estimation of quality in perennial ryegrass by near infrared spectroscopy. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 42: 293-299.
Jafari, A., Connolly, V. and Walsh, E.J., 2003a. Genetic analysis of yield and quality in full sib families of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) under two cutting managements. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 42: 275-292.
Kearsey, M.J., Hayward, M.D., Devey, F.D., Arcioni, S., Eggleston, M.P. and Eissa, M.M., 1987. Genetic analysis of production characters in Lolium. I. Triple test cross analysis of spaced plant performance. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 75: 66-75.
Marten, G.C., 1989. Breeding forage grasses to maximize animal performance. In: “Contributions from breeding forage and turf grasses” (eds. Sleper et. al.), CSSA special publication No 15, pages 71-104. USA.
Nguyen, H.T., Sleper, D.A. and Matches, A.G., 1982. Inheritance of forage quality and its relationship to leaf tensile strength in tall fescue. Crop Science 22: 67-72.
Nguyen, H.T. and Sleper, D.A., 1983a. Theory and application of half-sib mating in forage grass breeding. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 64: 187-196.
Nguyen, H.T., and Sleper, D.A., 1983b. Genetic variability of seed yield and reproductive characters in tall fescue. Crop Science 23: 621-626.
Rechinger, K.H., 1970. Flora Iranica. No. 70. Graz, Austria.
Smith K.F., reed K.F.M. and foot J.Z. 1997. An assessment of relative importance of specific traits for the genetic improvement of nutritive value in dairy pasture. Grass and Forage Science 52: 167-175.
Steel, R.G.D. and Torrie, J.H., 1980. Principles and procedures of statistics. Second ed. McGraw-Hill book Co., New York.
Wheeler, J.L., and Corbett, J.L., 1989. Criteria for breeding forages of improved feeding value: Results of a Delphi survey. Grass and Forage Science 44: 77-83.
Wilkins, P.W., 1995. Independence of dry matter yield and leaf yield among perennial ryegrass varieties differing in seasonal yield distribution. Grass and Forage Science 50: 155-161.

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics