FEASIBILITY OF PRODUCTION OF COMMERCIAL HYBRIDS IN REED CANARYGRASS, Phalaris arundinacea L., USING A YELLOW-SEEDED MUTANT

Abstract

A yellow-seeded mutant of reed canarygrass resulting from close breeding was used to produce F1 hybrids with normal black-seeded strains. The vigor of the yellow-seeded parent was below that of standard cultivars but seed yield was significantly higher. Forage yields of hybrids from the free interpollination with black-seeded strains were equal to, but not above, those of recommended cultivars. A high degree of effective hybridization (80% or more) was obtained when sib lines, selfed lines, or synthetics of the yellow-seeded mutant were grown in alternate rows with black-seeded strains. Alternate three-row (3 m) groups of parents in the hybrid crossing block were convenient for machine harvesting of seed and resulted in good hybridization.Key words: Reed canarygrass, heterosis, incompatibility, seed production, pollination