Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Crested Wheatgrass Introductions For Forage Yield And Quality, K. P. Vogel, P. E. Reece, J. F. S. Lamb

Historical Research Bulletins of the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station

Crested wheatgrass, Agropyron cristatum and A. desertorum, are among the most important cool-season forage grasses in the United States and Canada, particularly for reseeding arid range sites. Further improvement in this grass by breeding depends on identifying sources of genetic variability for forage yield and quality. Foreign introductions are an obvious source of genetic variation since crested wheatgrasses are introduced species. In this study 38 accessions (PI lines) and 8 Nebraska experimental lines were evaluated for forage quality as measured by in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and protein content and for forage yield. The cultivars 'Ruff' and 'Nordan' …