Relationship between seed retention and a folded-leaf trait in reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.)

Abstract

A limitation to the increased use of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.), a high-yielding perennial grass, is its poor seed retention. Efficient selection of reed canarygrass genotypes could be aided if morphological traits that are associated with agronomic characters such as seed retention could be identified. Folded-leaf progeny plants from a cross involving a seed-retaining clone were observed in a space-planted nursery. The objectives of this study were to determine whether the folded-leaf trait was associated with higher seed retention and other agronomic traits. Under solid-stand conditions, highly significant differences existed between folded- and flat-leaf polycross progeny plots for heading date and seed-retention percentage. The folded-leaf polycross progeny plots had higher seed-retention percentages and later heading dates than did the flat-leaf polycross progeny plots. Under space-planted conditions folded-leaf plants were significantly different from flatleaf plants for height, panicle length, panicle number, and growth habit. The folded-leaf plants in this nursery were shorter, had a smaller panicle length, possessed more panicles, and were more upright in growth habit than were the flat-leaf plants. © 2009 Taylor & Francis.