Grass varieties in the United States /

Abstract

By|A. A. jHANSOiw research agronomist, Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service This handbook has been prepared as a reference for technical workers interested in the origin and current status of named and experimental grass varieties in the United States. Information on Method of Breeding.-Selection of spaceplanted clones carried on through three successive generations. Seed from superior plants composited and increased. Description.-Early-m a t u r i n g, cool-season grass. Very leafy and productive of both forage and seed. In comparative tests at Lincoln it produced forage yields equal to those of Nordan. No evaluation made as to its value as pasture. Sod production indicates its possible utilization for turf purposes. Released.-No. Included in regional testing program. Breeder Seed.-Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station.

Selecting Zoysiagrass Cultivars: Turfgrass Quality, Growth, Pest and Environmental Stress Tolerance

“…Zoysiagrass was immediately popular in the southern United States in the 1940s because few well-adapted species and cultivars for lawns were available (1,22). The release of Matrella was closely followed by the release of 'Meyer,' 'Sunburst,' and 'Emerald' (Z. japonica × Z. pacifica) in the 1950s (20,23) (Table 1). Meyer and Emerald quickly became industry standards for zoysiagrass and it was not until the 1980s that many other zoysiagrass cultivars became commercially available (Table 1; Fig.…”

“…The first zoysiagrass cultivar, 'Matrella' (FC13521), was reportedly received in 1927 (23), but not likely released until the early 1940s based on discussion in the trade journal American Nurseryman (54). Zoysiagrass was immediately popular in the southern United States in the 1940s because few well-adapted species and cultivars for lawns were available (1,22).…”

Heritability Estimates for Forage Yield, In Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility, Crude Protein, and Heading Date in Indiangrass1

“…In brief, two indiangrass populations derived from the cultivars 'Holt' and 'Oto' were used. Holt was developed by mass selection from ecotypes collected in northeast Nebraska, while Oro, which is 20 days later in maturity than Holt, was developed by mass and progeny selection from ecotypes collected in southeast Nebraska and northeast Kansas (Hanson, 1972 In this selection process, attention was given only to the trait being selected. For example, protein content or heading date was not considered when selecting plants for IVDMD.…”

Revegetation research on oil shale lands in the Piceance Basin

“…Before formal release of a new variety (but during its initial multiplication) performance testing against existing varieties (Hanson 1972) is customany, in fact mandatory, in several locations and over more than one year. This testing period is the responsibility of the breeder or selector and agronomists; it was not considered to be a part of the original five-year DOE contract which included only the selection and recombination phases or what might reasonably be expected, notwithstanding weather vagaries, to be accomplished in five years.…”