Dry matter and nonstructural carbohydrate content as quality parameters in aLolium multiflorumbreeding programme

Abstract

Abstract A Lolium multiflorum cv. Midmar pasture and ninety individual plants (both Italian and Westerwolds types), from 15 different Lolium multiflorum cultivars in a spaced‐plant trial, were assessed for total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) content, TNC yield, dry matter (DM) content, DM yield and nitrogen (N) content. Maximum TNC values in the plants were reached after 12h00. The TNC content was positively correlated with the DM content of the plant, but this was probably environmentally induced. The negative relation between TNC and N content appeared to be genetically controlled. Diploid Italian types had the highest mean seasonal DM content. Cultivars with the highest mean DM yield over the growing season rated poorly in terms of TNC content. However, the coefficients of variation for the seasonal DM yield and TNC content were high. Coefficients of variation for mean DM content over the growing season were much lower than for TNC content and DM yield. It was concluded that the variation within and between cultivars was sufficiently large for successful manipulation in a breeding programme. The cultivars Exalta, Exalta × Lemtal, Moritz and ex Matador ranked high in both TNC yield and DM content.