Variation in resistance to different winter stress factors within a full-sib family of perennial ryegrass

• Published in: Euphytica Vol. 134; no. 1; pp. 61 - 75
• Main Authors: HOFGAARD, Ingerd S, VOLLSNES, Ane V, MARUM, Petter, LARSEN, Arild, TRONSMO, Anne Marte
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.01.2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Cold tolerance; Cold treatment; Environmental conditions; Freezing; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Generalities; Generalities. Genetics. Plant material; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Genotypes; Grasses; Hardening; Lolium perenne; Low temperature resistance; Plant growth; Resistance factors; Spring; Stress; Winter; Monocotyledones; Genetic variability; winter hardiness; Plant pathogen; Growth; Perennial plant; Environmental factor; HARDENING; Genetic determinism; Fungi; Disease resistance; Gramineae; Angiospermae; Fungi Imperfecti; Lolium perenne; Thallophyta; Adaptation; Microdochium nivale; Cold resistance; Tolerance; Genetic diversity; Dimension; Survival; ice encasement; Fungus resistance; Stress; pink snow mould; Sensitivity resistance; freezing; Spermatophyta; Fodder crop
• ISSN: 0014-2336; 1573-5060
• DOI: 10.1023/a:1026130825722

Wintering ability in the field and resistance to different winter-stress factors under controlled environmental conditions were studied in a full-sib family of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Significant variation in tolerance to freezing and ice encasement, resistance to pink snow mould (Microdochium nivale) and also in winter survival and spring growth were found between the different genotypes. No strong correlations were found between the resistances to the different stress factors. These results indicate that resistance to different winter-stress factors is controlled by separate genes in perennial ryegrass. A low but significant positive correlation was found between spring growth of plants in the field after the first winter and both freezing tolerance and M. nivale resistance measured in controlled environments. Cold hardening seemed to influence freezing tolerance and M. nivale resistance differently in the different genotypes, since no distinct correlation in tolerance to freezing or resistance to M. nivale was found between unhardened and hardened plants. Tolerance or resistance to most of the winter stress factors measured was positively correlated with plant size.