Characterization of Siberian wheatgrass germplasm from Kazakhstan (Poaceae: Triticeae)

Siberian wheatgrass [Agropyron fragile (Roth) Candargy] is known for its es tablishment and persistence on sandy soils under severe water limitations. Morphology, cytology, and forage and seed characteristics were studied on 5 9 accessions (JA) of Siberian wheatgrass collected on sandy soils in the de sert areas of western Kazakhstan. Plants were grown at Nephi, Ut., from 199 3 to 1996 and compared with the check cultivars of Vavilov and P-27 Siberia n wheatgrass, and Nordan crested wheatgrass [A. desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Schultes]. All JA-accessions were autotetraploids, 2 (n) under bar = 4 (x) under bar = 28. The most frequently observed meiotic association was 6 biv alents + 4 quadrivalents. The JA-accessions were morphologically diverse, r anging from short to tall in stature and from dark-green, glaucous to blue- green, strongly pubescent. Mean forage yield, crude protein, and dry matter digestibility were generally lower in the JA-accessions than the check var ieties. Entry x year interactions were nonsignificant (P > 0.05) for all me asured forage variables. Entries were significantly (P < 0.01) different fo r dry matter production. Seed weight of Vavilov and mean seed weight of JA- accessions were significantly (P < 0.01) greater than that for the check cu ltivars P-27 and Nordan. Entries that were highly pubescent had the heavies t seed and greatest capacity to emerge from a 7.6-cm planting depth. Seed y ield plant(-1) was significantly (P < 0.01) lower in the JA-accessions than cultivars Vavilov, P-27, and Nordan. Sufficient variations exist for seed yield, seed weight, seedling vigor, and forage yield within the JA-accessio ns to allow for the development of an agronomically suitable, drought toler ant Siberian wheatgrass through selection.