Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T18:45:10.641Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The examination of some winter hardiness components in grasses using canonical variate analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. J. Thomson
A. J. Thomson
Affiliation:
Plant Breeding Institute, Cambridge
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Winter vigour, winter burn, freezing damage and early spring yield were measured in 24 perennial ryegrass varieties which varied in their degree of winter adaptation. Winter vigour and winter burn were negatively correlated due to senescence in the dormant varieties. Cold resistance, measured in a freezing test, was also negatively correlated with winter burn but was independent of spring yield. Spring yield was positively related to winter vigour but negatively related to winter burn. The more dormant varieties which sustained most winter burn were better able to survive freezing.

A canonical variate analysis showed that the first two canonical variates accounted for 87·8% of the total variation. Interpolation from the means of the four characters suggested that the first canonical variate represented adaptation to winter conditions. A generalized model based on these findings is proposed and its use in the formulation of grass breeding strategies discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 83 , Issue 3 , December 1974 , pp. 545 - 550
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Blackith, R. E. & Reyment, R. A. (1971). Multivariate Morphometrics. London and New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Breese, E. L. & Foster, C. A. (1970). Breeding for increased winter hardiness in perennial ryegrass. Annual Report of the Welsh Plant Breeding Station for 1970, pp. 77–86.Google Scholar
Charles, A. H., England, F. & Thomson, A. J. (1974). (In the Press.)Google Scholar
Pearce, S. C. (1969). Multivariate techniques of use in biological research. Experimental Agriculture 5, 67–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seal, H. (1964). Multivariate Statistical Analysis for Biologists. London: Methuen and Co., Ltd.Google Scholar
Thomson, A. J. (1974). The effect of autumn management on winter damage and subsequent spring production of six varieties of Lolium perenne grown at Cambridge. Journal of the British Grassland Society (In the Press.)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomson, A. J. & Wright, A. J. (1971). Principles and problems in grass breeding. Plant Breeding Institute Annual Report, 1971, pp. 31–67.Google Scholar
Whitehouse, R. N. H. (1969). An application of canonical analysis to plant breeding. Genetica Agraria 23, 61–96.Google Scholar