Variability and Inheritance of Digestibility in Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne), Meadow Fescue (Festuca pratensis) and Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata)

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
F1 and F2 families of perennial ryegrass, cocksfoot and meadow fescue derived from crosses between parental clones selected for high and low digestibility were tested for digestibility and production of digestible dry matter in 1977 and 1978. The variation in digestibility and yield of digestible dry matter is described, and phenotypic correlations between digestibility, earliness in ear emergence and yield traits are presented. A number of estimates of broad sense heritabilities are given; h 2 N values were generally within the range 0.40–0.60 for digestibility, whereas relatively low values of 0.10–0.20 were found for dry matter productivity. Both heritability estimates and correlations between traits varied with stage of plant development, cut and harvest year, indicating that a broad representation of environment factors should form the basis for establishing heritabilities and interrelations between plant characters. The possibility of improving digestibility and digestible dry matter production in these temperate grasses is discussed.