The performance of high‐latitude grass varieties under Scottish conditions: seasonal distribution of dry‐matter production

• Published in: Grass and Forage Science
• Main Author: HAY, R. K. M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1989
• Subjects: Engmo; Hattfjelldal
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2494.1989.tb01939.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1365-2494.1989.tb01939.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1365-2494.1989.tb01939.x

Abstract The seasonal patterns of dry‐matter (DM) production by swards of Norwegian grasses originating from high latitudes >61°N ( Dactylis glomerata Hattfjelldal, Phleum pratense Engmo and Poa pratensis Leikra) were compared over 2 years (1986 and 1987) with those of grasses developed at lower latitudes, 52°N ( Dactylis glomerata Cambria, Phleum pratense Motim and Lolium perenne Perma) at a lowland site in southwest Scotland (55.5°N, altitude 45 m). In each year, there was a significant enhancement of the DM production of the high‐latitude varieties of Dactylis glomerata, Phleum pratense and Poa pratensis at harvests during May and June, although the lower latitude grasses gave a higher proportion of annual production than the Norwegian grasses in April and from September onwards. These findings are compatible with the observed stimulation of DM production of high‐latitude grasses by daylength extension under controlled conditions. However, since the stimulation of DM production did not occur until the normal peak of production in May and June, it served to accentuate the skewed distribution of production in Scotland, rather than to improve production earlier in the season. Since the total annual DM production was significantly lower for the high‐latitude grasses in general at the lowland site, there does not appear to be a clear role for these grasses in UK agriculture.