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Evaluation of Turf, Reproductive, and Disease-Response Characteristics in Crossed and Selfed Progenies of Kentucky Bluegrass¹

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) selections ‘An. heuser,’ ‘Belturf,’ ‘P-107,’ and ‘P-72’ were selfed and crossed in several combinations. Resulting F₁ hybrids and selfed aberrants were compared with their parents for important turf, reproductive, and disease-response characteristics. Variable parental ploldy levels and difficulties in determining the origin of aberrant progeny made data interpretation difficult. However, plant height, plant circumference, panicle production, and turf quality appeared quantitative in inheritance, whereas genetic resistance to powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis D. C.) and Helminthosporium vagans Drechsler appeared incompletely dominant. Because of a high incidence of tri. ploidy (fertilization of unreduced female eggs by reduced male gametes), parental ploidy levels and direction of cross were significant factors in the success of hybridization. Some positive transgressive segregation was noted for every characteristic studied. A high level of apomictic seed formation, as measured by the progeny test, was found in 86% of the Belturf x Anheuser F₁ hybrids. Some hybrids appear to have excellent turf quality and disease resistance. Considerable inbreeding depression and variation was observed in S₁ aberrants.

Key Words: Apomixis • Inbreeding • Triploid • Turfgrass breeding

² Former Research Assistant (presently Turfgrass Breeder for International Seeds Inc., Halsey, Oregon) and Research Professor, respectively, Soils and Crops Department, gutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08903.

Received for publication March 8, 1973.