Registration of ‘FL PE’, a Later‐Maturing Diploid Annual Ryegrass

Abstract

‘FL PE’ (Reg. No. CV‐280, PI 675350) diploid annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) is a synthetic cultivar selected for later maturity, excellent cold tolerance, and resistance to crown rust (caused by Puccinia coronate Corda) and gray leaf spot (caused by Pyricularia grisea Sacc.) It offers sufficient cold tolerance to be grown in the northern part of the annual ryegrass region of the United States. It also has sufficient disease resistance to be grown in the southern annual ryegrass belt. FL PE was produced from cold‐tolerant germplasm jointly produced in Scottsbluff, NE, Gainesville, FL, and Marianna, FL. The beginning seed sources for this selection program were composited in 2003 from FL/NEX2003 (new3) LRCT, FLX2003 (new3), NE/FL 2003 (new4) LRCT, NE/FLX2002 (new2) LRCT, and M/FL 2003 (new4) LRCT. Eight cycles of recurrent mass selection for crown rust resistance, gray leaf spot resistance, and mid‐late seed maturity were completed at Gainesville. FL PE showed high dry matter yields at Gainesville and was among the higher‐yielding lines at Tifton and Calhoun, GA (total of 14 location‐years data reported). Maturity ratings at Gainesville show that FL PE was among the later‐maturing lines evaluated. Late maturity can be beneficial in years with limited early summer perennial grass production; however, late maturity can also delay early summer production of these grasses, such as bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.]. FL PE had excellent levels of resistance to crown rust disease at Gainesville.