Peculiarities of growth and development of festulolium

Abstract

Perennial grasses 'Punia' formed significantly more vegetative shoots over the 110 days of flowering induction of short-day and 20 days of cultivation in the greenhouse. Festulolium 'Vetra' further response to stressors and formed the mostly productive shoots after 90+20 days of flowering induction by short-day. The highest assimilation leaf area was formed by Festulolium 'Vetra' (2103,21 cm2), their flowering induction period was 130 days and for variety 'Punia' it was substantially less - 979,846 cm2. The breeding of interbridal hybrids of Festulolium is successfully developed in Lithuania. We try to combine high nutrition value of ryegrass with resistance to environmental conditions of fescue. The use of Festulolium as forage plants directly depends on available seed amount. This interbridal hybrid was created recently and therefore the patterns of it's biological development and the issues of agriculture and seed production of Festulolium are not sufficiently investigated yet. It is not clear how many years the seed crop of Festulolium can be used for seed production. On the first stage of plant ontogenesis with application of proper agrotechnical measures it is possible to create high agrobiological potential. And to maintain it on later stages, avoiding the decrease of productivity elements. Investigations were carried out in Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Institute of Horticulture, Plant Physiology Laboratory of phytotron complex in 2011-2012. The aim of research is to investigate some peculiarities of growth and development of Festulolium. Festulolium varieties 'Vetra' and 'Punia' were investigated. 5 plants were sown in each 5 liter pot in neutral peat substrate (pH 6-6,5). The plants were grown in greenhouse till the tillering phase. The temperature of 20±2°C at daytime and 16±2°C at night was maintained in greenhouse. Later plants were moved to low temperature chambers for 90, 110 and 130 days for passing of vernalization processes, where the 8 and 16 hour photoperiod were maintained at 4°C temperature. Plants were removed in a greenhouse for additional 20 days after vernalization processes. According to our data 'Vetra' plant height was 6 % higher than the 'Punia' after 130+20 days of flowering induction.