Ecological and agronomic evaluation of Dactylis glomerata subsp. lobata

Abstract

Widening of ecological adaptation of forage grasses (including tolerance of climatic stresses, enhancement of genetic resistance to pests and diseases, expansion of geographical adaptability) warrant exploration and utilization of wild relatives of a wide range of species. This study set out to investigate the ecological characteristics of Dactylis glomerata subsp. lobata and to compare its agronomic traits and yield with those of the most common and economically valuable species of the genus, D. glomerata subsp. glomerata. The current study revealed that D. glomerata subsp. lobata is less productive than D. glomerata subsp. glomerata. Though, D. glomerata subsp. lobata agrobiological characteristics suggest that it might be a valuable genetic resource for forage production.