Improving tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) for cool-season vigour

Abstract

A highly winter-active cultivar of tall fescue, Melik, was compared with 3 commercial cultivars in a field experiment in South West Victoria. Winter production of Melik was superior to the widely used commercial cultivars (P<0.05). In a second experiment, a selection from a Melik nursery, designated Melik Select, was compared with the summer-active cultivars, Demeter and AU Triumph. Seed blends of Melik Select and Demeter (1:2 or 2:1 mix) were also evaluated and seasonal production was measured under grazing. Over 3 years, the cumulative yield of tall fescue per se was not different between cultivars, despite a 73% increase in winter for Melik Select compared with Demeter (P<0.001). Melik Select produced 55% of its annual yield in winter. For Demeter the winter proportion was 33%. Spring (P<0.01) and summer production (P<0.001) was superior from the summer-active cultivars, Demeter and AU Triumph, when compared with the yield from Melik Select. Melik Select plots were however, characterised by higher contributions from subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.). After 7 years of rotational grazing by sheep, the frequency of Melik Select plants (63%) was greater than that of Demeter (9%) and AU Triumph (8%) (P<0.01). Melik Select exhibited greater crown rust (Puccinia coronata) resistance than Demeter and AU Triumph (P<0.001) in autumn. The seed blend treatments, which included 66% Melik Select, did not increase winter production above that obtained from the summer-active cultivars (P>0.05). It was concluded that, while increased cool season production from tall fescue may be obtained by the use of highly winter-active cultivars sown alone, blends of the contrasting types of tall fescue may provide a more even distribution of growth throughout the year. To significantly increase winter growth in the Hamilton climate, however, the highly winter-active component may have to represent >66% of the blend. Options for using Mediterranean type tall fescue for their autumn–winter growth potential are discussed for districts with a shorter growing season. Melik Select was compared against 5 check cultivars, in a 3-year field experiment at Hamilton, to characterise the seasonal growth of 36 Neotyphodium endophyte infected accessions of tall fescue collected from the Mediterranean basin. These accessions contained endophyte variants differing from N. coenophialum, as found in continental winter-dormant types of tall fescue. Ratings confirmed the importance of Mediterranean material as a source of vigorous growth during the cool season. Melik Select was superior to other cultivars and accessions in both the cool and warm seasons. The use of Melik Select to develop and evaluate a new type of highly winter-active tall fescue for temperate Australia, since released as cultivar Fraydo, is discussed.