Evaluation of smooth-stalked meadow grass (Poa pratensis L.) genetic resources for breeding purposes

Abstract

Cluster analysis revealed three forage type-groups of smooth-stalked meadow grass accessions differing in the mean number of agro-morphological traits. In terms of high ranking traits such as luxuriance, plant height and bunch diameter, the best was a small group of accessions which included the forage type genotypes – cultivars, some promising breeder’s lines and one wild ecotype. Our experimental evidence suggests that the wild ecotype (N0. 2315) is promising for improving seed productivity. The promising genotype 2315 was distinguished for significantly higher number of generative stems (p < 0.05) compared with the varieties ‘Gaja’ and ‘Gausa’. As a result, the genotype produced a significantly higher (p < 0.05) seed yield per plant. The other seed productivity indicators – inflorescence length, seed width and 1000 seed weight – were similar to those of the registered varieties. Keywords: smooth-stalked meadow grass, forage-type, wild ecotypes, promising genotypes