The breeding of 'Grasslands Muster' browntop and other low-fertility grasses for moist hill country

Abstract

Breeding projects have been carried out in each of five grass species already common in New Zealand moist hill country. Although the source of breeding material varied widely among the five species, the breeding goals in each were for improved amount and seasonal spread of productivity, persistence, disease resistance, palatability, uniform heading, and tolerance of white clover. The projects began around 1973 and were all completed by 1980. From 198 I-85, the selections were evaluated in small plots on sunny and shady slopes of hill country near Palmerston North. In all species except Yorkshire fog, the selections outyielded their respective commercial controls in the first l-2 years. In the two browntop species (Agrostis capillaris and A. castellana) this superiority continued through the trial, despite selective grazing pressure. In Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus) and red fescue (Festuca rubra) the selections were more palatable but not as persistent as their controls after 5 years. In crested dogstail (Cynosurus cristatus) neither selection nor control persisted, and the mowing regime applied did not allow natural reseeding. In a further trial on lowland, all five selections except dryland browntop were confirmed as considerably more palatable than the controls, and most had more clover content. The best strategy would probably be to market these selections as a hill country/lower fertility seed package (with suitable clovers), so as to exclude less palatable components. Keywords hill country, breeding, browntop, Yorkshire fog, crested dogstail, red fescue, low fertility grasses