Yield, Quality, and Other Characteristics of Selected Lines of Crested Wheatgrass

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate yield, quality, and other characteristics in selected lines of crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum L. Gaertn.) at Ataturk University Agriculture Faculty Research Farm under unirrigated conditions during 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 in Eastern Turkey. The research was established in 2006 as a randomized complete block with three replications. Lines AC1 (Reg. No. PL-12, PI 667083), AC2 (Reg. No. PL-13, PI 667084), AC23 (Reg. No. PL-14, PI 667085), AC29 (Reg. No. PL-15, PI 667086), AC37 (Reg. No. PL-16, PI 667087), AC39 (Reg. No. PL-17, PI 667088), AC65 (Reg. No. PL-18, PI 667089), AC66 (Reg. No. PL-19, PI 667090), AC83 (Reg. No. PL-20, PI 667091), AC107 (Reg. No. PL-21, PI 667092), AC113 (Reg. No. PL-22, PI 667093), AC121 (Reg. No. PL-23, PI 667094), AC125 (Reg. No. PL-24, PI 667095) and Tohum Islah population (Reg. No. PL-11, PI 667082) (control) were evaluated for dry matter yield (DMY), seed yield (SY), straw yield (SWY), crude protein content (CPC), crude protein yield (CPY), stem number, plant height, and fertile tiller ratio. Forage DMY and SY increased over the first 4 yr, but the yields decreased due to the aging of the crested wheatgrass stand in the subsequent year. There were significant differences for lines in all variables, except for SWY and CPC. Particularly, lines AC1, AC23, AC29, AC37, AC39, AC65, AC66, AC107, and AC121 in DMY; AC1, AC37, AC83, AC107, AC113, AC121, and AC125 in SY; and AC23, AC39, and AC113 in CPY showed significant improvement compared with the original parent material. The results of DMY, SY, and CPY show that selection studies were effective. Selected lines will be useful for breeding studies and livestock production.