Enhancing the Productivity in Forage Grasses on the European Scale using Interspecific Hybridization

Ryegrass x fescue interspecifi c hybridization (so-called Festulolium) has
great potential for forage diversifi cation because of its many amphiploid
and introgression-bred forms. Festulolium breeding efforts aim to improve
adaptation to mainly winter cold and summer drought through higher
abiotic stress tolerance. This goal must be met with a minimum of
compromise regarding productivity in the fi rst years of full exploitation.
To compare fi eld performances, a 21-entry trial of Festulolium and controls of pure species has been ongoing since 2012 in eight European countries.
The yield data collected in 2012 and 2013 in nine locations showed that
the Festulolium cultivars performed on average quite well compared to
pure species controls. In amphiploids, the annual yield appeared to be
mainly driven by the Lolium sp. parent combined with F. pratensis (Fp) ;
the Lm x Fp amphiploids performed thus far better on average than the Lp
x Fp equivalents. The only amphiploid from F. glaucescens included in the
study had an intermediate response over locations, which was closer to tall
fescue than to F. pratensis . Interestingly, a broad variability for yield
among the Lm x Fp cultivars appeared to be associated with climate
interactions when cold, wet locations were contrasted with more temperate
locations with early spring growth.