VARIABILITY OF GRASS QUALITY AS RELATED TO CULTIVAR AND LOCATION IN WESTERN CANADA

Abstract

Variability among locations was much greater than among cultivars in the quality characteristics of both bromegrass and crested wheatgrass. Significant cultivar differences were found in most of the quality characteristics of bromegrass, but only in in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVD), fat, crude fiber and stem diameter in crested wheatgrass. Significant location differences were found for all the characteristics studied in bromegrass, and for all characteristics except Fe and Mo in crested wheatgrass. Simple correlations indicated that in bromegrass most of the characteristics studied were associated with IVD and protein, two usual indicators of quality. In crested wheatgrass, however, P, K and Mn were the only minerals related to these two characteristics. A negative correlation between yield and most minerals in bromegrass indicated a dilution effect in the plant tissue as yield increased. Yields of crested wheatgrass, however, were independent of all minerals except P.