Summary
Nine randomly chosen clones of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) were mated in all possible combinations to determine the nature of genetic variation for Mg, Ca, K, and P concentrations in a broad genetic base population. General combining ability mean squares were significant for most variables, whereas specific combining ability mean squares were not significant in most instances indicating that additive genetic variance was more important. Genotype x year interactions were significant for most variables, suggesting that selection should be evaluated over many environments. Broad-sense heritability estimates based on parental and progeny variance components were generally high for P, K, Ca, and Mg but low for the ratio K/(Ca + Mg). Narrow-sense heritabilities for these minerals were close to the broad sense values since the additive genetic variance was the largest component of the total genetic variation. Correlations between mineral concentrations and herbage dry matter yield were low. It was concluded that adequate genetic variation exists to improve mineral concentration without altering herbage dry matter yields.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature
Butler, E.J. (1963): The mineral element content of spring pasture in relation to the occurrence of grass tetany and hypomagnesaemia in dairy cows. J. Agric. Sci. 60, 329–340
Butler, G.W.; Barclay, P.C.; Glenday, A.C. (1962): Genetic and environmental differences in the mineral composition of rye-grass herbage. Plant Soil 16, 214–228
Cockerham, C.C. (1956): Effects of linkage on the covariance between relatives. Genetics 41, 138–141
Eberhart, S.A.; Newell, L.C. (1959): Variation in domestic collections of switchgrass Panicum virgatum L. Agron. J. 51, 613–616
Gardner, C.O. (1963): Estimates of genetic parameters in cross-fertilizing plants and their implications in plant breeding. In: Statistical genetics and plant breeding (eds.: Hanson, W.D.; Robinson, H.F.), pp. 225–252. Washington, D.C.: NAS-NRC Publ. 982
Griffing, B. (1956): Concept of general and specific combining ability in relation to diallel crossing systems. Austr. J. Biol. Sci. 9, 463–493
Grunes, D.L.; Stout, P.R.; Brownwell, J.R. (1970): Grass tetany of ruminants. Adv. Agron. 22, 331–374
Hanson, W.D. (1963): Heritability. In: Statistical genetics and plant breeding (eds.: Hanson, W.D.; Robinson, H.F.). pp. 125–140. Washington, D.C.: NAS-NRS Publ. 982
Hill, R.R. Jr.; Guss, S.B. (1976): Genetic variability for mineral concentrations in plants related to mineral requirements of cattle. Crop Sci. 16, 680–685
Hill, R.R. Jr.; Jung, G.A. (1975): Genetic variability for chemical composition of alfalfa. 1: Mineral elements. Crop Sci. 15, 652–657
Horwitz, W. (1975): Official methods of analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemist, 12th ed. Washington, D.C.: Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem.
Hovin, A.W.; Tew, T.L.; Stucker, R.E. (1975): Genetic variability for mineral elements in reed canarygrass. Crop Sci. 18, 423–427
Kehr, W.R. (1961): General and specific combining ability for four agronomic traits in a diallel series among six alfalfa clones. Crop Sci. 1, 53–55
Kemp, A. (1960): Hypomagnesaemia in milking cows. The response of serum magnesium to alterations in herbage composition resulting from potash and nitrogen dressings on pasture. Neth. J. Agric. Sci. 8, 281–304
Kemp, A.; t'Hart, M.L. (1957): Grass tetany in grazing milking cows. Neth. J. Agric. Sci. 5, 4–17
Kempthorne, O. (1957): An introduction to genetic statistics. New York: J. Wiley
Kempthorne, O.; Tandon, O.B. (1953): The estimation of heritability by regression of offspring on parents. Biometrics 9, 90–100
Pickett, E.E.; Koirtyohann, S.R. (1969): Emission flame photometry, a new look at an old method. Anal. Chem. 41, 28A-42A
Slavin, W. (1968): Atomic absorption spectroscopy. In: Chemical analysis, vol. 25, (eds.: Elving, P.J.; Kolthoff, S.M.), pp. 194. New York: Sutersciences
Sleper, D.A.; Garner, G.B.; Asay, K.H.; Boland, R.; Pickett, E.E. (1979): Breeding for Mg, Ca, K, and P contents in tall fescue. Crop Sci. 17, 433–438
Sleper, D.A. (1979): Plant breeding, selection, and species in relation to grass tetany. In: Grass tetany (eds.: Rendig, V.V.; Grunes, D.L.), pp. 63–77. Madison, Wisc.: Am. Soc. Agron.
Steel, R.G.D.; Torrie, J.H. (1960): Principles and procedures of statistics. New York: McGraw-Hill
Thill, J.L.; George, J.R. (1975): Cation concentration and K to Ca + Mg ratio of nine cool-season grasses and implications with hypomagnesaemia. Agron. J. 67, 89–91
Wilkinson, S.R.; Stuedemann, J.A. (1979): Tetany hazard of grass as affected by fertilization with nitrogen, potassium, or poultry litter and methods of grass tetany prevention. In: Grass tetany (eds.: Rendig, V.V.; Grunes, D.L.), pp. 93–121. Madison, Wis.: Am. Soc. Agron.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by R.W. Allard
Journal Series no. 5886
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nguyen, H.T., Sleper, D.A. Genetic variability of mineral concentrations in Festuca arundinacea Schreb.. Theoret. Appl. Genetics 59, 57–63 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00275779
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00275779