Evaluation of a meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) population from Northland.

摘要

Festuca pratensis is not commonly recognized as a significant pasture species in New Zealand. On the Northland Dairy Farm, Kaitaia, however, a population of F. pratensis has provided significant feed in drought years. F. pratensis ecotype seed lineswere therefore collected from Kaitatia and compared for relative vigour with Lolium perenne cv. Grasslands, Dactylis glomerata cv. Grasslands Nana and Grasslands Kara, Phalaris arundinacea cv. Venture and F. arundinacea cv. Grasslands Advance. Variationoccurred within the 22 F. pratensis lines in terms of early growth, with 4 lines proving superior to Advance during winter and spring, while non-indigenous lines failed to persist. The vigour of remaining lines declined as the trial progressed, persistent F. pratensis plants remaining small and failing to tiller. Unless a specific role for the species can be determined, it is suggested that further work is largely unjustified as production was similar to control species.