Quantitative and Qualitative Traits of Natural Ecotypes of Perennial Grasses (Dactylis glomerata L., Festuca arundinacea Schreb., Phalaris tuberosa L., Brachypodium rupestre (Host) R. et S.) Collected in Southern Italy

In 1999, natural populations of Dactylis glomerata L., Festuca arundinacea Schreb., Phalaris tuberosa L. and the macrotherm species Brachypodium rupestre (Host) R. et S., were collected as seed in Southern Italy (Apulia, Basilicata and Campania regions) to evaluate the potential as forage of native germplasm under dry conditions, using available commercial cultivars as controls. The persistence of accessions, biometric, phenologic, productive and qualitative parameters of forage have been studied for a 3-year period (2000–2002) in a typical Mediterranean environment. D. glomerata is widely present in the studied area with two subspecies (subsp. glomerata L., subsp. hispanica (Roth) Nyman). The research pointed out significant differences in plant size, earliness and single plant dry matter (DM) production. All the natural ecotypes belonging to this species showed higher persistence than the control cultivars. Some natural ecotypes appeared to have potential for improving DM yield (subsp. glomerata ecotypes) and reducing neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content (subsp. hispanica ecotypes). Natural ecotypes belonging to F. arundinacea, P. tuberosa, and B. rupestre are sporadically present in the studied area. Among them, two ecotypes of P. tuberosa, showing higher winter growth and earliness compared to cv. ‘Holdfast’, seem to be interesting for a future breeding programme.