Breeding of comb-wheatgrass (Agropyron pectiniforme Roem. et Schult.) for arid conditions of the steppe zone

¹ Voronezh experimental station for perennial grasses-branch of the Federal state budgetary scientific institution “Federal Williams Research Center of Forage Production & Agroecology”, Dokuchaev str., 1, Pavlovsk, Voronezh region, Russia
² Federal Williams Research Center of Forage Production & Agroecology, Nauchny Gorodok str., 1, Lobnya, Moscow region, Russia

^* Corresponding author: gnu@bk.ru

Abstract

In the context of the progressive trend of climate aridization of the main agricultural regions in the forest-steppe and steppe zones, the problem of increasing and stabilizing the high productivity of forage crops is becoming more acute. Perennial grasses are the most affordable and stable source of cheap plant feed, and a means of preserving soil fertility during intensive farming, which has an anthropogenic negative impact on agricultural ecosystems. Perennial grasses play a special role as a biological means of counteracting the degradation of biological, water and physical and agrochemical properties of soils, the processes of their dehumidification and erosion. In arid climatic conditions, the most effective species of perennial bluegrass grasses is the comb-wheatgrass or broad-spiked wheatgrass (Agropyron pectiniforme Roem. et Schult.). This crop is resistant to extremely stressful conditions for cultivation in arid conditions, high production potential for the production of various types of voluminous feed. The limiting factor for the effective economic use of the comb-wheatgrass is the insufficient number of zoned varieties. At the Voronezh Experimental Station for perennial grasses, active breeding work is underway to develop new varieties of comb-wheatgrass. The results of the assessment of the source material in the collection nursery are presented. The best specimens for the creation of complex hybrid populations for the formation of the polycross nursery have been identified.