Genetic improvement of yield of nitrogen of Lolium perenne pastures

Summary Four varieties of Lolium perenne with similar flowering dates bred over a 30 year period were grown in an orthogonal plot trial with two contrasting harvesting frequencies and three levels of fertiliser (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 t/ha of N annually). In the second harvest year, the nitrogen (N) content of herbage at each harvest was determined and the yields of N calculated. The newest variety (Ba 10761) gave a 20% higher mean annual yield of N than the oldest (S.321). The influence of variety in increasing the ratio of N recovered: N applied was as great or greater than the influence of harvesting frequency or level of applied N. There were small differences between varieties in N content (%N), N content being inversely related to N yield.     

Effects of Interspecific Competition on the Inheritance of Quantitative Traits in White Clover *)

Analysis of a half diallel cross among four white clover cultivars, grown as monocultures and in mixtures (duocultures) with two separate perennial rye-grass cultivars, confirmed that for stolon and leaf number a higher proportion of the genetic variance in duocultures was non-additive. For canopy height and dry weight, however, this proportion was less affected by inter-specific competition. An additive-dominance model of gene action sufficed for all four characters in monocultures, but in duocultures epis-tasis was just one of the factors complicating the genetic picture. This, coupled with short-term reversals in the direction of dominance, merely illustrates the complexity of breeding white clover cultivars. Possible future developments in the breeding of white clover are discussed in the light of these results.     

Introduction of a self-compatible gene of Lolium temulentum L. to perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) for the purpose of the production of inbred lines of perennial ryegrass

Interspecific hybrids between self-compatible species, Lolium temulentum L. and self-incompatible species, L. perenne L. were obtained using embryo rescue. Two cycles of backcrossing of interspecific hybrids with L. perenne were carried out. A 1: 1 segregation ratio of self comatibility and incompatibility was observed in backcross generations. These segregation data confirmed that self-compatibility of L. temulentum was controlled by a single gene. It suggested that the self-compatible gene of L. temulentum could be introduced to self-incompatible plants of L. perenne through interspecific hybridization. It appears that utilization of a self-compatible gene of L. temulentum would be useful for production of inbred lines of L. perenne. The possibility of breeding procedures of perennial ryegrass using a self-compatible gene was discussed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Useful variation in in vitro digestibility within perennial ryegrass

In vitro dry matter digestibility (DMD) and dry matter yield (DMY) of herbage from plots sown with three selected perennial ryegrass varieties with similar heading dates (Ba11778, Talbot and Gator) under a range of harvesting frequencies (2, 3, 4 and 5-weekly harvests) were compared over two harvest years (1994 and 1995). Varieties varied in mean percentage DMD over all harvests and harvesting frequencies by 3.4 and 3.5 units in 1994 and 1995 respectively. Varietal ranking in mean DMD over all harvests was the same under each harvesting frequency in both years: Ba11778 being the highest, Gator the lowest and Talbot intermediate. In 1995, Gator had a higher proportion of unsown species in the herbage than both Ba11778 and Talbot but this was only a minor factor contributing to the differences among the varieties in mean DMD over all harvests. Although varieties consistently ranked in the same order of mean DMD over all harvesting frequencies during 13 5-week periods, the range among varieties varied from less than 1 unit to 8.6 units. This range was greatest in mid-season of each year when mean DMD over all varieties was lowest. The minimum mean DMD over all harvesting frequencies during both years was 75.5%, 70.9% and 66.8% for Ba11778, Talbot and Gator respectively. The most digestible variety Ba11778 also had higher annual DMY than the other two varieties in both harvest years and under all four harvesting frequencies. These results indicate that there is sufficient useful genetic variation for DMD within perennial ryegrass to justify breeding for the trait and its routine assessment in official variety trials.     

Co-adaptation between neighbours? A case study with Lolium perenne genotypes

Summary Co-adaptation between neighbouring genotypes of Lolium perenne was examined in a pot experiment over an 18 month period. Competitive interactions in pure and mixed stands were examined using 9 genotype pairs (established as neighbours from electrophoresis data), 7 from a 10 year-old, and 2 from a 40+ year-old pasture. Combinations of each pair of neighbours grown together, and each grown with 5 randomly chosen alien (non-neighbour) genotypes sampled from the same pastures were also assessed. Seven harvests of green matter produced above 20 mm were made, and 50–135 kg N ha^-1 was administered after each harvest. Data for dry weight at each harvest for pure and mixed stands, and Relative Yield Totals (RYT) were obtained for neighbours and aliens in each treatment.In 6 of the 9 pairs of neighbours grown as pure stands, the yields of neighbours did not differ significantly at the final harvest. In 8 of the 9 pairs grown as mixtures of pairs of neighbours, the yield of one of the neighbours was significantly reduced and one neighbour had been eliminated. Over the last 5 harvests, yields from (alien + neighbour) mixtures had the greatest dry matter yields. No suppression of one component by the other was recorded for this (alien + neighbour) combination.Based upon RYT estimates, neighbours did not yield more when grown together than when grown separately with aliens. There was no relationship between original genotype size in their fields of origin and dry matter yield in this experiment.This experiment provides no evidence for he evolution of co-adaptation between surviving neighbours in the two pastures from which these individuals were sampled. The genotypic architecture of pasture would seem to be the product of random and/or competitive exclusion of individual genotypes, rather than the evolution of co-adapted groups of individuals through time. The consequences of extreme depletion of genetic variation in the first two years after establishment, the very low rates of seedling establishment in established pastures, and the impact of the grazing animal would suggest that there is little likelihood of or potential for, co-adaptation evolving between neighbours.     

Variation in digestibility in nine populations of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and its genetic basis

Summary Thirty five individuals from each of nine perennial ryegrass populations were sampled from set-stocked and zero-grazed swards and from an old permanent pasture. The swards were 6, 18, 30 months and 11 years old when sampled. The permanent pasture was at least 40 years old.Dry matter digestibility (DMD) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) were determined for green leaf material harvested 4 days after ear emergence. Significant differences were found between the populations, but genotypic differences were found only for OMD. The largest proportion of the total variation was due to differences between blocks. In the zero-grazed populations, DMD and OMD declined significantly with increasing sward age. This was not found for the set-stocked swards. Two sets of pair crosses, from which mid-parent, progeny regressions could be determined, were carried out.The regressions of offspring on mid-parent for set-stocked and zero-grazed swards were used to assess the presence of additive genetic variation and to estimate narrow sense heritability of DMD. The coefficients of correlation, 0.122 and 0.226 respectively, were non-significant, indicating an absence of additive genetic variation.     

Disturbed Mendelian segregations at isozyme marker loci in early backcrosses of Lolium multiflorum × Festuca pratensis hybrids to L. multiflorum

Summary The segregation of interspecific recombinant Festuca pratensis (Fp) alleles, introgressed into the germolasm of Lolium multiflorum (Lm), at four loci (PGI/2, AcP/2, GOT/3 and BAP) is described. Heterozygous (Lm/Fp) plants were backcrossed to L. multiflorum (2n=2×=14) and subsequent BC2 Lm/Fp sibling genotypes intercrossed.In crosses between BC1 heterozygous plants (Lm/Fp) used as males and L. multiflorum, there was a reduced transmission of the F. pratensis (Donor Parent) derived alleles in the populations with PGI/2 and AcP/2 marker loci compared to the reciprocal cross but the reduction was not significantly different in those with GOT/3 and BAP markers.Two PGI/2 marked BC2 half-sib families in particular exhibited a more extreme deficiency of Fp/Fp progeny plants than anticipated from the BC2 segregations indicating possible linkage to zygotic lethals. Deficiencies of F. pratensis alleles were, in most cases, less marked in BC2 half-sib families indicating that a further round of recombination had reduced the size of the introgressed chromosome segment or that deleterious linkages had been broken. A tendency towards heterozygote advantage was found in one BAP marked halfsib family.The significance for forage grass breeding of reduced transmission rates of Donor Parent alleles in early back-cross generations especially through the male gametes is discussed.     

Earthworm biomass response to soil management in semi-arid tropical Alfisol agroecosystems

Earthworms recorded during 1989–1993 across 15 soil management treatments, comprising three different tillagexthree organic amendments (bare, farmyard manure, and rice straw) and six perennial ley treatments, belonged to two endogeic species, Octochaetona phillotti (Michaelsen) and Lampito mauritii Kinberg, while in a nearby undisturbed natural revegetation area three species were found, including the above two and Octonochaeta rosea (Stephenson). The earthworm biomass showed significant temporal and spatial variations and was higher during the post monsoon period than in the early rainy season. No worm biomass was recorded during the dry season. In the tillage and organic amendment treatments, the biomass was drastically reduced from September 1989 to September 1991 after the application of carbofuran and some herbicides, and was significantly reduced during these two years compared to that of 1992. The maximum monthly earthworm biomass ranged between 2.5 and 17.9 g m^-2 across the treatments and increased several-fold in the nearby natural revegetation area (75.9 g m^-2). It significantly increased in perennial ley treatments compared to annual treatments with organic amendments. Thus the earthworm biomass varied significantly (P<0.01) across the 15 treatments, indicating discernible effects of soil management.Visiting Scientist (under the Rockefeller Foundation Environmental Research Fellowship in International Agriculture)