A Comparison of British and North African Varieties of Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea). II. Growth During Winter and Survival at Low Temperatures

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Abstract
During the winter of 1963-64, and particularly during Dec. and Jan., dry weight and leaf area increased more rapidly in Syn II, a synthetic variety of tall fescue developed from North African material, than in S.170, a British variety. The greater relative growth rate of Syn II was associated with a greater leaf area ratio and, during Dec. and Jan., with a greater net assimilation rate (NAR) also. At this time S.170, which was no longer increasing in leaf area, contained a much greater concentration of soluble carbohydrate than Syn n. When leaf area began to increase again in S.170 the carbohydrate concentration fell, and the NAR increased until it equalled that of Syn II once more. When 2 north temperate, and 7 Mediterranean, varieties of tall fescue were exposed to a range of low temperatures (-5 to -20[degree]C) for 6 hr., most plants survived -5[degree]C with little damage, whereas none survived -16.5[degree] C or lower temperatures. The north temperate varieties were more hardy than those from the southern latitudes; in particular S.170 withstood cold better than Syn n. There was a clear inverse relationship between the ability of the varieties to survive low temperatures, and their ability to grow rapidly during winter.