Russian Wildrye Research Articles

Construction of a high-density genetic map using specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing and quantitative trait loci analysis for tillering related traits in Psathyrostachys juncea perennial grass.

Russian wildrye (RWR, Psathyrostachys juncea) is an outcrossing perennial grass that plays a crucial role in foragaing and rangeland restoration due to its tiller producing capabilities, nevertheless, a genetic map has yet to be constructed due to a shortage of efficient and reliable molecular markers. This also limits the identification, localization, and cloning of economically important traits related to tiller density during breeding. Therefore, this study aimed to create a F1 mapping population with 147 individual lines and their two parents, which were selected based on varying tiller densities. We then used this mapping population to conduct specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) to generate SLAF markers and discover single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Initially, we generated a total of 1,438.38 million pair-end reads with an average sequencing depth of 84.92 in the maternal line, 79.34 in the parental line, and 27.05 in each F1 individual line, respectively. Following the filtering of low-depth SLAF tags, a total of 558,344 high-quality SLAFs were identified. A total of 1,519,903 SNP markers were obtained, and 62,424 polymorphic SNPs were discovered. From these, 4,644 polymorphic SNPs were selected and used for the construction of a genetic map encompassing seven linkage groups. The genetic map spanned 1,416.60 cM with an average distance of 0.31 cM between adjacent markers. Comparative analysis between the seven linkage groups of RWR SLAF tag and the whole-genome sequences in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) revealed homology values ranging from 17.5% to 34.6%, and the collinearity between the RWR linkage groups and the barley homology groups ranged from 0.6787 to 0.9234, with an average value of 0.8158. Additionally, 143 significant quantitative trait locus (QTLs) with Logarithm of Odds (LOD) value greater than 2.5 for five tiller related traits were detected using three consecutive years of phenotypic trait data from the F1 population, further verifying the map's reliability.

GGE biplot analysis for genotype × environment interactions affecting the seed shattering of Psathyrostachys juncea

The Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski. Is an important forage grass in cold and arid regions. However, its high seed shattering (SS) traits affects seed yield. The SS phenomenon arises from the intricate interplay between its genotype and environment (GE). To gain a comprehensive understanding of SS variations in different Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski materials under the influence of GE interactions, a two-year experiment was conducted on 300 individual plants at two locations. Utilizing the GGE biplot method, the current research aimed to assess the adaptability and stability of Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski on SS trait, with a focus on identifying genotype materials conducive to breeding. The analysis of variance indicated that genotype, environment, year, and their interactions exhibited extremely significant effects on SS. Among these factors, the GE interaction showed as the primary contributor to variability in the SS trait of Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski. The GGE biplot illustrated that Hohhot and Baotou emerged as representative locations with strong discriminative power for the materials. Genotypes 18 and 120 exhibited high SS rates in Hohhot, while 118 and 111 showed high SS rates in Baotou. Genotypes 132 and 177 were identified as ideal genotypes with both high and stable SS rates. These findings serve as valuable references for applications in grazing pastures and provide genotype materials for the genetic improvement and mechanistic analysis of SS traits in Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski.

The Psathyrostachys juncea DWARF27 gene encodes an all-trans-/9-cis-beta-carotene isomerase in the control of plant branches in Arabidopsis thaliana by strigolactones.

Strigolactones (SLs), carotenoid-derived plant hormones, govern the growth and development of both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. DWARF27 (D27), a plastid-targeted protein located at the initiation site of the core pathway in SL synthesis, plays a crucial role in regulating plant tillering (branching). In rice (Oryza sativa) and wheat (Triticum aestivum), OsD27 and TaD27-B proteins modulate the number of plant tillers by participating in SL biosynthesis. Similarly, AtD27 in Arabidopsis thaliana is required for SL production and has a significant impact on phenotypic changes related to branching. At the same time, TaD27 in wheat has been confirmed as a functional orthologue of AtD27 in Arabidopsis, and both Psathyrostachys juncea and wheat belong to the Triticeae, so we speculate that PjD27 gene may also have the same function as AtD27 in Arabidopsis. In this study, we initially screened the PjD27 gene significantly associated with tillering regulation through transcriptome data analysis and subsequently validated its expression levels using qRT-PCR analysis. Furthermore, we conducted phylogenetic analysis using amino acid sequences from 41 species, including P. juncea, to identify closely related species of P. juncea. Here, we analyze the conservation of D27 protein among P. juncea, rice, wheat, and Arabidopsis and provide preliminary evidence suggesting that PjD27 protein is an orthologue of D27 protein in Arabidopsis. Through reverse genetics, we demonstrate the crucial role of PjD27 in regulating plant branching, establishing it as a functional orthologue of D27 in Arabidopsis. Furthermore, following transient expression in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), we demonstrate that the subcellular location of the PjD27 protein is consistent with the cellular location of TaD27-B in wheat. Quantitative analysis of SLs shows that PjD27 is a key gene regulating tillering (branching) by participating in SL biosynthesis. By elucidating the function of the PjD27 gene, our findings provide valuable genetic resources for new germplasm creation and improving grain yield in P. juncea.

Association Analysis of Tiller-Related Traits with EST-SSR Markers in Psathyrostachys juncea.

Psathyrostachys juncea is a long-lived perennial Gramineae grass with dense basal tillers and soft leaves. It is used widely in cold and dry areas of Eurasia and North America to establish grazing pasture and is even used as an ideal plant for revegetation and ecological restoration. Plant architecture, especially tillering traits, is critical for bunch grasses in breeding programs, and these traits in plants are mostly quantitative traits. In this study, the genetic diversity, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium of 480 individual lines were analyzed using 127 pairs of the EST-SSR marker, and a significant association between ten plant-architecture-related traits of P. juncea and molecular markers was found. The results of the genetic diversity analysis showed that the number of observed alleles was 1.957, the number of effective alleles was 1.682, Shannon's information index was 0.554, observed heterozygosity was 0.353, expected heterozygosity was 0.379, and the polymorphism information content was 0.300. A total of 480 individual lines were clustered into five groups based on population genetic structure, principal coordinate analysis, and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean analysis (UPGMA). The linkage disequilibrium coefficient (r2) was between 0.00 and 0.68, with an average of 0.04, which indicated a relatively low level of linkage disequilibrium among loci. The results of the association analysis revealed 55 significant marker-trait associations (MTA). Moreover, nine SSR markers were associated with multiple traits. This study provides tools with promising applications in the molecular selection and breeding of P. juncea germplasm.

Phylogenetic Relationships and Diversity in Leymus (Poaceae, Triticeae) Based on Simple Sequence Repeats Markers

Aims: The objective of the study was to investigate: (1) the Ns genome donor and elucidate the origins of the Xm genome of Leymus; (2) evaluate the phylogenetic relationships among these species.
 Methodology: The CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) procedure was used to extract total genomic DNA from fresh leaf tissue. A total of 150 pairs of SSR primers were tested to screen those produced polymorphic DNA bands to continue further analysis with Elymus species and 13 diploid perennial species as templates. The GS was used to construct a dendrogram via the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA) and the SHAN (sequential, hierarchical, agglomerative, and nested clustering) routine in the NTSYS-pc program.
 Results: The primers WMC475, WMC11 and QWM213 showed more expansion efficiency in the research. There were significant diversity and polymorphism between Leymus and related diploid Triticeae species based on SSR makers. The largest GS coefficient values between Pse. stipifolia and Elymus hystrix indicates that the genetic distance is the closest and has a closer genetic relationship. In clade I, the Leymus species formed a very wellsupported into a small distinct group (Ia) first. Specifically, L. racemosus, L. salinus, L. secalinus and L. triticoides were clustered closely.
 Conclusion: Psathyrostachys juncea, Psa. huanshanica and Psa. fragilis (Ns genome) clustered together into clade I with Leymus species, which further illustrates Leymus that contains Ns genome is more closely related to Psathyrostachys. St genome and J genome did not participate in the origin of Leymus, and the genetic relationship and genetic distance of Leymus species are related to geographical distribution and environment.

A Shortlisting Framework for Crop Diversification in the United Kingdom

We present a systematic framework for nationwide crop suitability assessment within the UK to improve the resilience in cropping systems and nutrition security of the UK population. An initial suitability analysis was performed using data from 1842 crops at 2862 grid locations within the UK, using climate (temperature and rainfall) and soil (pH, depth, and texture) data from the UK Met Office and British Geological Survey. In the second phase, additional qualitative and quantitative data are collected on 56 crops with the highest pedoclimatic suitability and coverage across the UK. An exercise was conducted on crops within each category using a systematic ranking methodology that shortlists crops with high value across a multitude of traits. Crops were ranked based on their nutritional value (macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals) and on adaptive (resistance to waterlogging/flood, frost, shade, pest, weed, and diseases and suitability in poor soils) and physiological traits (water-use efficiency and yield). Other characteristics such as the number of special uses, available germplasm through the number of institutions working on the crops, and production knowledge were considered in shortlisting. The shortlisted crops in each category are bulbous barley (cereal), colonial bentgrass (fodder), Russian wildrye (forage), sea buckthorn (fruit), blue lupin (legume), shoestring acacia (nut), ochrus vetch (vegetable), spear wattle (industrial), scallion (medicinal), and velvet bentgrass (ornamental/landscape). These crops were identified as suitable crops that can be adopted in the UK. We further discuss steps in mainstreaming these and other potential crops based on a systematic framework that takes into account local farming system issues, land suitability, and crop performance modelling at the field scale across the UK.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of novel Wx genes from Psathyrostachys juncea and Eremopyrum bonaepartis

The ratio of amylose/amylopectin can greatly influence the end-use quality of wheat products, and amylose synthesis only needs the granule-bound starch synthase I that is encoded by the Waxy (Wx) gene. Hence, the Wx allele variability is a vital determinant of amylose synthesis. In this study, four novel Wx genes were isolated from two diploid Triticeae species. Their sequence variations were analyzed, which showed that the polymorphism among the Wx-F1 alleles was low; only seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and one amino acid (AA) residue change (Arg541 ? Cys) were detected in the exon regions, and this change in Wx-F1b was predicted to have deleterious effects on protein function. The two Wx-Ns1 alleles in this study were different from two published alleles obtained using three overlapping primer sets. The polymorphism among the four Wx-Ns1 alleles was high, and 37 SNPs and ten AA residue changes were found, while all of those substitutions were neutral. However, one substitution (Leu237 ? Pro) between Wx-H1 and Wx-Ns1 was predicted that would probably affect the protein function. Divergence time analysis showed that Wx-Ns1a diverged from Wx-Ns1b about 1.06 MYAs. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Wx-F1 were more closely related to Wx-O1 from Henrardia persica, Wx-R1 from Secale cereale ssp. cereale, and Wx-Xe1 from Eremopyrum triticeum, while Wx-Ns1 were more closely related to Wx-H1 from Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare and Wx-Hch1 from Hordeum chilense. These genes may be important candidates for wheat quality improvement.

Hybrid purity identification using EST-SSR markers and heterosis analysis of quantitative traits of Russian wildrye.

Russian wildrye, Psathyrostachys junceus (Fisch.) Nevski, is widely distributed in the high latitude areas of Eurasia. It plays an important role in grassland ecosystem maintenance, as well as being a valuable palatable forage species for livestock and wildlife. Russian wildrye germplasm has rich phenotypic and genetic diversity and has potential for improvement through crossbreeding. In this study, fifteen Russian wildrye hybrid combinations were produced and one F1 population with 123 putative hybrids was obtained by crossing two individual plants with significant differences in nutritional characteristics and reproductive tiller number. Twelve phenotypic traits of the F1 population were measured for three consecutive years, and ten of the twelve traits were in line with the genetic characteristics of quantitative traits. Hybrid superiority was revealed among F1 hybrids in both nutritional and reproductive traits. One non-recurrent parent plant with the highest PCA-synthesis score was selected and used to make a backcross with the 'BOZOISKY SELECT' male parent, and 143 putative BC1 hybrids were obtained. Sixteen pairs of EST-SSR primers were randomly selected from polymorphic primers derived from different expressed tiller trait related genes. Three primer pairs that amplified both the paternal and maternal characteristic band were used to assess the purity of the F1 population, and three primer pairs (with one shared primer pair) were used to identify the BC1 population. The hybrid purity was 96.75% for the F1 population and 95.80% for the BC1 population, and the results were confirmed by self-fertility test through bagging isolation. The genetic similarity coefficients between the F1 progeny and the male parent ranged from 0.500 to 0.895, and those between the BC1 progeny and the male parent ranged from 0.667 to 0.939. A subset of individuals in the BC1 population had closer genetic distance to the recurrent parent, and genetic variation within the BC1 population decreased compared to the F1 population.

Irrigation with desalinated and raw produced waters: Effects on soil properties, and germination and growth of five forages

Produced water is generated during oil and gas production in copious amounts daily in the United States. With increasing water shortfalls in arid and semi-arid regions, it could be a valuable source of water for irrigation purposes after treatment. The present study examined the effects of irrigation with produced waters on five perennials cool season forage, species western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), meadow bromegrass (Bromus biebersteinii), Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys junceus), and tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus). The forages were grown in a greenhouse, in loamy soil, and irrigated with desalinated reverse osmosis RO (231 mg/l), diluted RAW (1400 mg/l), RAW produced (8610 mg/l), and tap (427 mg/l) water. All forages were harvested three times at an interval of ≈ 90 days after 30 days germination period. Tall fescue germinated (100 %) and grew well under all four treatments. The higher biomass was with alfalfa, tall fescue, wheatgrass, bromegrass, and Russian wildrye, respectively. Evapotranspiration (ET) of the five species decreased with increasing soil and irrigation water salinity. Na, Cl, and B ions concentrations were 10.7, 13.6, and 42.3 mg/l, respectively in wheatgrass; 24.7, 17, and 14.5 mg/l, respectively in alfalfa; 27.7, 25.6, and 92.5 mg/l, respectively in bromegrass; 18, 14.6, and 59.6 mg/l, respectively in Russian wildrye; and 33, 35, and 207.5 mg/l, respectively in tall fescue, in plant tissues obtained after the second harvest. In soil, Na and B ions concentrations were 1173, 2.1 mg/l, respectively in wheatgrass pots; 1047, 1.7 mg/l, respectively in alfalfa pots; 874.6, 1.4 mg/l, respectively in bromegrass pots; 782, 1.6 mg/l, respectively in Russian wildrye pots; and 1974, 3.17 mg/l, respectively in tall fescue pots. Plant biomass decreased with increasing salinity; however, plants continued to grow even after the third harvest. Utilizing desalinated and diluted produced waters as a valuable source of water for irrigation after treatment could alleviate water demand in arid oil producing regions of the world.

Analysis of controlling genes for tiller growth of Psathyrostachys juncea based on transcriptome sequencing technology

BackgroundTillering is a complicated process in plant and is a significant trait that affects biomass and seed yield of bunch grass Psathyrostachys juncea, a typical perennial forage species. To clarify the regulatory mechanisms of tillering in P. juncea and to explore related candidate genes could be helpful to improve the seed and forage yield of perennial gramineous forages. We selected the tiller node tissues of P. juncea for transcriptome sequencing to determine the differentially expressed genes (DEG) between dense and sparse tillering genotypes. The metabolic pathway was studied, candidate genes were screened, and reference genes stability were evaluated.ResultsThe results showed that approximately 5466 DEGs were identified between the two genotypes with dense and sparse tillers of P. juncea, which significantly differed in tiller number. Tillering regulation pathways analysis suggested that DEGs closely related to the biosynthesis of three plant hormones, namely auxin (IAA), cytokinin (CTK), and strigolactones (SLs), while “biosynthesis of lignin” and “nitrogen metabolism” have remarkable differences between the dense and sparse tillering genotypes. Meanwhile, the reference gene Actin1, having the best stability, was screened from twelve genes with highest expression level and was used in verification of ten tillering related candidate genes.ConclusionsThe tillering mechanism of perennial grass P. juncea was expounded by transcriptome analysis of tiller node tissues. We demonstrated that dense-tillering genotypes may be distinguished by their low expression patterns of genes involved in SL, IAA, and high expression patterns of genes involved in CTK biosynthesis at the tillering stage, and nitrogen metabolism and lignin biosynthesis can also affect the number of tillers. Furthermore, the expression level of ten tillering related candidate genes were verified using Actin1 as reference gene. These candidate genes provide valuable breeding resources for marker assisted selection and yield traits improvement of P. juncea.

Development and application of specific FISH probes for karyotyping Psathyrostachys huashanica chromosomes

BackgroundPsathyrostachys huashanica Keng has long been used as a genetic resource for improving wheat cultivar because of its genes mediating the resistance to various diseases (stripe rust, leaf rust, take-all, and powdery mildew) as well as its desirable agronomic traits. However, a high-resolution fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) karyotype of P. huashanica remains unavailable.ResultsTo develop chromosome-specific FISH markers for P. huashanica, repetitive sequences, including pSc119.2, pTa535, pTa713, pAs1, (AAC)5, (CTT)12, pSc200, pTa71A-2, and Oligo-44 were used for a FISH analysis. The results indicated that the combination of pSc200, pTa71A-2 and Oligo-44 probes can clearly identify all Ns genomic chromosomes in the two P. huashanica germplasms. The homoeologous relationships between individual P. huashanica chromosomes and common wheat chromosomes were clarified by FISH painting. Marker validation analyses revealed that the combination of pSc200, pTa71A-2, and Oligo-44 for a FISH analysis can distinguish the P. huashanica Ns-genome chromosomes from wheat chromosomes, as well as all chromosomes (except 4Ns) from the chromosomes of diploid wheat relatives carrying St, E, V, I, P and R genomes. Additionally, the probes were applicable for discriminating between the P. huashanica Ns-genome chromosomes in all homologous groups and the corresponding chromosomes in Psathyrostachys juncea and most Leymus species containing the Ns genome. Furthermore, six wheat–P. huashanica chromosome addition lines (i.e., 2Ns, 3Ns, 4Ns, 7Ns chromosomes and chromosomal segments) were characterized using the newly developed FISH markers. Thus, these probes can rapidly and precisely detect P. huashanica alien chromosomes in the wheat background.ConclusionsThe FISH karyotype established in this study lays a solid foundation for the efficient identification of P. huashanica chromosomes in wheat genetic improvement programs.

White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida Michx. ex Willd.) and Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea Vent.) in Binary Mixtures with Grass Species

Native forage legumes may have potential for summer/fall grazing in semiarid prairie regions in mixture with grasses. The objective of this study was to evaluate two native clovers in binary mixtures with the introduced grasses when harvested in July and September to simulate late summer or fall stockpile forage. Eight binary clover–grass mixtures were seeded in a split-plot design with 4 replications at Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada. Mixtures included (i) AC Antelope white prairie clover (WPC)-Admiral meadow bromegrass (MBG), (ii) WPC-AC Success hybrid bromegrass (HBG), (iii) WPC-Bozoisky Russian wildrye (RWR), (iv) WPC-TomRWR, (v) AC Lamour purple prairie clover (PPC)-AdmiralMBG, (vi) PPC-AC SuccessHBG, (vii) PPC-BozoiskyRWR, and (viii) PPC-TomRWR. Clover establishment differed (p = 0.03) in July where WPC had 77.8% greater proportion in mixture than PPC, although both clovers increased (p < 0.001) in September to similar legume proportions, 663.2 and 876.1 kg/ha, respectively. Clovers with bromegrasses produced 41.9% more forage dry matter yield in summer than clovers with Russian wildryes (p < 0.001), though the latter mixtures had slightly better nutritive value (avg. 7.0% vs. 5.2% crude protein (CP). Clover–MBG exhibited higher (53.6%) in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) than Clover–HBG (51.2%) (p = 0.04). Purple prairie clover with grass or both clovers in mixture with bromegrasses, produced adequate forage biomass for summer and fall grazing, except clovers with Bozoisky RWR, while clovers with both RWR cultivars had acceptable forage nutritive value for summer in this semiarid prairie region.

EST-SSR Primer Development and Genetic Structure Analysis of Psathyrostachys juncea Nevski.

Psathyrostachys juncea is a perennial forage grass which plays an important role in soil and water conservation and ecological maintenance in cold and dry areas of temperate regions. In P. juncea, a variety of biotic and abiotic stress related genes have been used in crop improvement, indicating its agronomic, economic, forage, and breeding value. To date, there have been few studies on the genetic structure of P. juncea. Here, the genetic diversity and population structure of P. juncea were analyzed by EST-SSR molecular markers to evaluate the genetic differentiation related to tillering traits in P. juncea germplasm resources. The results showed that 400 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci were detected in 2,020 differentially expressed tillering related genes. A total of 344 scored bands were amplified using 103 primer pairs, out of which 308 (89.53%) were polymorphic. The Nei’s gene diversity of 480 individuals was between 0.092 and 0.449, and the genetic similarity coefficient was between 0.5008 and 0.9111, with an average of 0.6618. Analysis of molecular variance analysis showed that 93% of the variance was due to differences within the population, and the remaining 7% was due to differences among populations. Psathyrostachys juncea materials were clustered into five groups based on population genetic structure, principal coordinate analysis and unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) analysis. The results were similar between clustering methods, but a few individual plants were distributed differently by the three models. The clustering results, gene diversity and genetic similarity coefficients showed that the overall genetic relationship of P. juncea individuals was relatively close. A Mantel test, UPGMA and structural analysis also showed a significant correlation between genetic relationship and geographical distribution. These results provide references for future breeding programs, genetic improvement and core germplasm collection of P. juncea.

Optimum Number of Herbage Mix Components for Pastures in the Cryolithic Zone Near the Amga River Used for Haymaking and Grazing

This article presents the results of multiyear work on the establishment of the optimum number of herbage mix components in the cryomorphic alluvial soils of the Amga river. The authors provide recommendations on seeding rates and times for herbage mixes. They present the data on the dynamics of herbage yields. Herbage yield changes across the experiment options depending on the age of the herbage mix, vegetation periods, and the hydrothermal index. The authors recommend using the agroecological components of herbage mixes with the drought-tolerant crop of the Manchaary variety of psathyrostachys juncea. The authors establish the options that are guaranteed to produce 128-140 dt/ha of herbage on average without watering. Irrespective of the weather conditions during the research years, herbage mixes showed a weak negative correlation between the yields of herbages of different ages and the hydrothermal indices over the research years. In 4 and 5-component herbage mixes, the correlation coefficient shows an explicit negative correlation. This signifies that the Manchary variety is a good choice for future forage grass mixes. The research mainly focused on recognized varieties of forage grasses. The conducted research showed that the Manchaary variety is sustainable and can be used over a long time both on its own or as part of complex herbage mixes of up to 5 components.

Two new associations of the order Agropyretalia intermedio–repentis in the steppe zone of the Southern Urals, Russia

In 2017–2020, in the territory of the Southern Urals (the Republic of Bashkortostan, Orenburg and Chelyabinsk Regions), we studied the synanthropic communities of transport routes. The syntaxonomic analysis resulted in the description of two associations of the order Agropyretalia intermedio–repentis, the class Artemisietea vulgaris, which are new both for science and the Southern Urals region: Lactucо tataricaе–Psathyrostachyetum junceae ass. nov. and Sisymbrietum volgense ass. nov. They are found in the steppe zone of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Orenburg and Chelyabinsk Regions, along the roadsides of transport routes, less often in wastelands in settlements. Communities dominated by Psathyrostachys juncea are encountered along the roadsides and slopes of highways in the southern part of the Trans–Urals region of the Republic of Bashkortostan. A characteristic feature of the communities of the association Sisymbrietum volgense is the dominance of the invasive Sisymbrium volgense, which settles actively along the transport routes throughout the entire South Urals region. The DCA ordination of the communities of the order Agropyretalia intermedio–repentis confirmed the results of the syntaxonomic analysis and demonstrated significant differences in the ecology of various cenoses by the following ecological factors: moistening, soil texture and structure, soil fertility, and the thermo-climatic factors. The described syntaxa form the most xerophytic branch of the order Agropyretalia intermedio–repentis in the Southern Urals.

Harvest Date Effect on Forage Yield, Botanical Composition, and Nutritive Value of Novel Legume-Grass Mixtures

The potential for novel forage mixtures to address reduced herbage for late season grazing was investigated. Forage legumes, sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) (SF) cvs. AC Mountainview, Shoshone, and Nova (MountainSF, ShoshoneSF, and NovaSF), cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer L.) cv. AC Veldt (CMV), Canadian milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis L.) cv. Great Plains (CaMV), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cv. AC Yellowhead (ALF) were evaluated in binary mixtures with meadow bromegrass (Bromus riparius Rehm.) cv. Admiral (MBG), hybrid bromegrass (B. riparius × B. inermis Leyss.) cv. AC Success (HBG) and Russian wildrye [Psathyrostachys junceus (Fisch.) Nevski.] cv. Tom (RWR) for yield, botanical composition, and nutritive value on July and September harvest dates at Saskatoon and Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada from 2016 to 2018. Hybrid bromegrass-legume mixture produced 16–38% greater forage compared to RWR-legume (7.5 vs. 5.6 Mg ha−1 in July and 6.1 vs. 5.1 Mg ha−1 in September at Saskatoon, and 3.2 vs. 2.0 Mg ha−1 in July at Swift Current). MountainSF and ALF had the greatest legume contribution to total yield at July harvest at Swift Current (67.7 ± 3.2%) and Saskatoon (62.1 ± 2.1%), respectively, while CaMV had lowest composition at Swift Current (20.2 ± 2.5%) and Saskatoon (12.6 ± 3.5%). The CMV and ALF-grass mixtures at Saskatoon and legume-RWR mixtures at both sites in July had greatest CP content. The July harvest had greatest yield, legume content and nutritive value compared to the September harvest at both sites. Study results suggest if yield is the objective, then either ALF or CMV with HBG may be considered. If nutritive value is the goal, any legume with RWR is an option. Finally, ALF or CMV in mixture with either HBG or RWR could be summer or fall stockpile forage in the Northern Great Plains of western Canada.

Assessment of starting material of Psathyrostachys juncea for resistance to leaf diseases

The article presents the results of a three-year study of the stability of Psathyrostachys juncea to leaf spots in the feedstock nursery. The production of stable yields of Psathyrostachys juncea is limited by a number of factors, some of them are lesions by a complex of diseases that significantly reduce feed productivity. It has been revealed that the most common diseases of the leaves and stems of Psathyrostachys juncea are: helminthosporiosis, septoriosis and stem (linear) rust. On the basis of phytoimmunological evaluation of samples in the nursery of the starting material, the numbers K 2, K 4, K 6, K 9, K 10, K1 1, K 12, K 14, K 16, K 20 were identified, showing the highest complex resistance to the group of leaf spots.

Assessment of the biotypes of the Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch)) with multislope use

The article presents the results of the multi-scale use of the Russian wildrye in the nursery of the source material and research on its nutritional value. The nursery of the source material was laid in 2015 by nesting method on the territory of the botanical garden “Research Institute of Agricultural Problems of Khakassia” in the amount of 26 samples. The work was carried out in accordance with the guidelines for the selection of perennial cereal grasses, selection and seed production of perennial grasses. Observations of the growth and development of plants, accounting of the productivity of the studied varieties were carried out on the selection of forage grasses in Siberia. When evaluating this culture for pasture use four mowing operatios were carried out. The characteristic value is not only the absolute value of the growth of the crop, but its relative stability of regrowth during the growing season. According to the sum of the four mows, the highest productivity of the green mass was observed in K 1, K 2, K 3, K 5, K 6, K 9, and K 18 — from 500 g to 720 g.The capacity of the grass stand after grazing is one of the indicators that determine the normal state and development of plants. After four — fold mowing, the numbers K 1, K 2, K 3, K 5, K 6, K 9, and K 18 had a high bush power-from 3.6 to 4.6 points. For the main mowing, forage units were allocated to 1, To 2 — 0,69 — 0,69 kg of feed standard 0.49 kg and at otave 0.68-0.67 kg, standard 0.49 kg, respectively, for digestible protein To 1-149.6, To 2 — 162.5 g / kg of feed standard 141.1 g/kg and to 1-147.2, to 2 — 140.2, standard 140.0 g/kg of feed) and for exchange energy for the main mowing to 1 and 2 9.8 MJ and 10.0 MJ, standard (Manchaara) — 9.7 MJ.

Оценка перспективных селекционных образцов ломкоколосника ситникового (Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.)) по хозяйственно ценным признакам на юге Средней Сибири

Исследования проводились в сухостепной зоне Республики Хакасия в 2018–2020 годах с целью оценки и отбора перспективных селекционных образцов ломкоколосника ситникового по хозяйственно ценным признакам. Материалом исследований служили 16 образцов, высеянных семенами, и 8 сортообразцов вегетативного способа размножения, отобранных из питомника исходного материала 2015 года посева и в дальнейшем проанализированных в селекционных питомниках. В качестве стандарта взят сорт селекции Якутского НИИСХ Манчаары. В период вегетации проводились учёты и фенологические наблюдения за развитием растений. Работа проведена в соответствии с методическими указаниями по селекции кормовых культур. Исходя из биологических особенностей ломкоколосника ситникового, с целью увеличения урожайности семян для дальнейшей селекционной работы при вегетативном размножении их можно получить уже на второй год жизни. По основным показателям семенной продуктивности в селекционном питомнике вегетативного размножения отобраны образцы А 1, А 2, А 6 и А 12, также эти биотипы отмечены и по скороспелости: период от начала вегетации до созревания семян составил 88–94 дня. По кормовой продуктивности достоверная прибавка получена у А 1, А 2, А 6, А 10, А 12. В селекционном питомнике семенного размножения по основным показателям кормовой продуктивности выделены номера А 1, А 3, А 4.1, превышающие стандарт (сорт Манчаары) по продуктивности зелёной массы в 1,4–1,8 раза, по продуктивности сухой массы — в 1,2–1,6 раза. В этом питомнике образцы сформировали продуктивные стебли только на третий год жизни. The research was conducted in the dry steppe of the Republic of Khakassia in 2018–2020 to evaluate and select promising genotypes of Russian wildrye. The objects of this study were 16 genotypes grown from seeds and 8 genotypes of vegetative reproduction obtained from the nursery of parent material in 2015. Variety “Manchaary” from the Yakutian Agricultural Research Institute performed as the standard. Plant phenology was analyzed according to the recommended methods for forage crop breeding. To increase seed yield for plant breeding vegetative reproduction of Russian wildrye can be of great importance allowing seed production in the second year already. Genotypes A1, A2, A6, and A12 showed the highest seed productivity in the nursery of vegetative reproduction. They also were characterized by rapid maturation: the period from germination to maturation amounted to 88–94 days. A1, A2, A6, A10, and A12 had significant forage yield increase. Genotypes A1, A3, and A4.1 showed the best feed productivity in the nursery of seed reproduction. They exceeded the standard by 1.4–1.8 times in green mass yield and 1.2–1.6 times — in dry mass productivity. Genotypes formed productive stems only in the third year in the nursery.

Evaluation of cool-season binary mixtures as pasture: Herbage yield, nutritive value, and beef cattle performance

• Hybrid bromegrass-legume mixtures produced 54% more biomass than Russian wildrye-legume mixtures at Lanigan site, while biomass did not differ between mixtures at Swift Current site. • Legume contribution to total biomass was greater at Swift Current than at Lanigan site, and alfalfa contributed more to biomass than sainfoing at Lanigan site. • Crude protein tended to be greater for RWR mixtures than HBG mixtures at Lanigan site. • Beef steer gain was similar for all binary mixtures at Swift Current site, however steer gain was greater at Lanigan site for sainfoin mixtures, suggesting inclusion of legume in pasture was beneficial. • Results demonstrate that all four binary mixtures appear to be suitable for late summer and fall grazing. ABSTRACT A 3-year study (2016, 2017, and 2018) was conducted to compare the effects of alfalfa (ALF; cv. Yellowhead) (Medicago falcata L.) or sainfoin (SF; cv. AAC Mountainview) (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) in mixtures with either Russian wildrye (RWR; cv. Tom) (Psathyrostachys junceus [Fisch.]) or hybrid bromegrass (HBG; cv. Success) (Bromus riparius Rehm × B . inermis Leyss) on herbage dry matter yield (DMY) and nutritive value, and beef yearlings performance at two sites: Swift Current (Brown soil zone) and Lanigan (Thin Black soil zone), Saskatchewan, Canada. In 2015, in each site, sixteen 0.7-ha (in Lanigan) or 0.8-ha (in Swift Current) paddocks were established with replicated ( n = 4) ALF-HBG, ALF-RWR, SF-HBG, or SF-RWR binary mixtures. Each year in August, yearling steers (16 ± 1 month and BW = 391 ± 1.7 kg and 350 ± 0.04 kg for Swift Current and Lanigan sites, respectively) were allocated to paddocks for an average 30-d grazing trial to utilize 40–60% of available herbage. The DMY (3629 ± 154 kg/ha) did not differ ( P > 0.05) among mixtures at Swift Current. The HBG included (ALF-HBG and SF-HBG) mixtures produced 54% more ( P < 0.01) DMY than RWR included (ALF-RWR and SF-RWR) mixtures (4542 vs. 2943 kg/ha, SEM = 303) at Lanigan. Legume contribution to DMY was greater at Swift Current than at Lanigan (33.1% ± 2.1% vs. 14.0 ± 1.7%), and ALF contributed more to DMY than SF at Lanigan (18.0 vs. 10.1%). Crude protein tended ( P = 0.10) to be greater for RWR mixtures than HBG mixtures (93.5 vs. 83.4 g/kg DM for RWR and HBG mixtures, respectively) at Lanigan. The yearling steers had similar ( P = 0.25) ADG (0.78 ± 0.03 kg/d) for the treatments at Swift Current. However, at Lanigan, the animal ADG differed ( P < 0.01) with 0.88 and 0.90 kg/d for ALF-RWR and SF-RWR and 0.53 and 0.63 kg/d for ALF-HBG and SF-HBG mixtures, respectively. The HBG mixtures (ALF-HBG and SF-HBG) produced approximately 10 more grazing days (GD) (AUD/ha) than the RWR (ALF-RWR and SF-RWR) mixtures at both, Swift Current (95 vs. 88 AUD/ha, SEM = 9) and Lanigan (112 vs. 101 AUD/ha, SEM = 7) sites. Sainfoin-grass mixtures produced 8 and 3 GD less (AUD/ha) than ALF-grass mixtures at Swift Current and Lanigan, respectively. Overall, these results demonstrate that all 4 binary mixtures appear to be suitable for late summer and fall grazing to provide sufficient nutritive value and beef cattle steer performance in both soil zones of Saskatchewan, Canada.