Productivity and parameters of adaptability of collection specimens of the cocksfoot

Abstract

Relevance. The cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) remains an agricultural crop of high fodder value for the Komi Republic, grown both in pure form and as one of the components in grass mixtures. This forage grass is recommended for use in hayfields and pastures, being high-yielding, retaining for a long time in grass mixtures, growing quickly after mowing and grazing.
Methods. In the collection nursery of the Institute of Agrobiotechnology named A.V. Zhuravsky of the Komi Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Komi Republic, Syktyvkar), from 2016 to 2018, promising populations of cocksfoot of various ecological and geographical origin were studied by economic characteristics and parameters of adaptability, obtained from the world collection of Federal research center «N.I. Vavilov all-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources – VIR»: 11 from the Northwestern Federal District of Russia (Komi Republic, Arkhangelsk, Pskov and Leningrad regions), 3 from the Ural Federal District (Tyumen and Sverdlovsk regions), 1 from the Siberian Federal District (Tomsk Region), 4 foreign samples from Northern Europe (Norway, Finland) and North America (Canada). The purpose of the research is to evaluate the yield indicator of green mass of specimens of cocksfoot in the collection nursery, to establish the parameters of adaptability and, on their basis, to select the most promising numbers for further breeding work. During the growing season during the years of research, various meteorological conditions were noted, which reflected the unstable nature of the fallout and distribution of precipitation, which made it possible to comprehensively evaluate the specimens of the cocksfoot and give them a more objective assessment based on the prevailing external environmental conditions.
Results. As a result of research, it was found that according to a set of economically valuable parameters, specimens 45945, 47268 and 41826 were identified with a yield of green mass on average for two cuttings of 205–237 c/ha. Based on the obtained parameters of adaptability, specimens 36684, 47268, 33392 are classified as the most stable and plastic ones, which represent a valuable source material for further study and breeding work.