Changes in mean character and uniformity ofLolium (perenne + multiflorum)var. ‘Grasslands Manawa' during seed increase

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Abstract
Forty-six seed lines of Lolium (perenne × multiflorum) var. ‘Grasslands Manawa‚ harvested in various regions of New Zealand and including all seven generations of seed increase were grown as spaced plants at Palmerston North, with control lines of L. multiflorum var. ‘Grasslands Paroa‚ and L, perenne var. ‘Grasslands raunui‚. Estimates were obtained of germination, fluorescence, awning, date of head emergence, aftermath heading, habit, leaf width, winter and summer growth, and non-persistence. As measured by the partial regression of line mean scores on generation number, most characters showed a significant change towards Paroa during seed increase. This change was not large enough to destroy the agronomic distinctiveness of Manawa, but the reason for it is discussed. Date of ear emergence showed a change towards earliness, which, however, was away from Paroa. The uniformity within lines, as measured by the variance among plants, showed a consistent though rarely significant trend to decline through seed increase. In three characters there was also a significant decline in variance as the seed aged. The region of seed harvest did not appear to have any consistent effect on the characters measured.