HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Casler, M. D. Articles by Carpenter, J. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Casler, M. D. Articles by Carpenter, J. A. Agricola Articles by Casler, M. D. Articles by Carpenter, J. A.

Morphological and Chemical Responses to Selection for in Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility in Smooth Bromegrass

Dep. of Agronomy, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706-1597
Max-Planck-Institut, Cologne, West Germany

^* Corresponding author.

Improved nutritional value of forage crops, through selection and breeding, can be due to changes in chemical composition or the relative amounts of tissues or organs with differing nutritional value, or both. The objective of this study was to evaluate morphological and chemical changes associated with divergent selection for in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) in smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.). Parents and progeny, selected for high or low IVDNID, werevaluated in replicated field trials for two harvests in each of 2 yr. Cell wall composition and IVDMD of stems (stem plus leaf sheath), leaves (leaf blade), and whole plants were determined. Several morphological traits of leaves and stems were also determined. Whole plant variation in IVDMD was due mainly to differences in stem IVDMD. Increased stem IVDMD was associated with reduced lignin and cellulose, but increased hemicellulose contefits, with overall reduced cell wall content. Increased leaf IVDMD was due to similar causes, but without reduced cell wall content. These results provide further evidence that IVDMD can be improved by genetic modification of cell wall composition, without reducing total cell wall content. Although differences were not always consistent, high IVDMD genotypes tended to have larger and heavier, but fewer leaves. Leaf/stem ratio changed slightly but not enough to explain differences in whole plant IVDMD. Selection for IVDMD did not appreciably affect plant growth and development in these environments.

Received for publication November 18, 1988.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Claessens, R. Michaud, G. Belanger, and D. E. Mather Leaf and Stem Characteristics of Timothy Plants Divergently Selected for the Ratio of Lignin to Cellulose Crop Sci., October 27, 2005; 45(6): 2425 - 2429. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Sanderson, R. H. Skinner, M. van der Grinten, and J. Kujawski Nutritive Value of Virginia Wildrye, a Cool-Season Grass Native to the Northeast USA Crop Sci., July 1, 2004; 44(4): 1385 - 1390. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. S.N. Ferdinandez and B. E. Coulman Nutritive Values of Smooth Bromegrass, Meadow Bromegrass, and Meadow Smooth Bromegrass Hybrids for Different Plant Parts and Growth Stages Crop Sci., March 1, 2001; 41(2): 473 - 478. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. R. Buxton and D. D. Redfearn Plant Limitations to Fiber Digestion and Utilization J. Nutr., May 1, 1997; 127 (5): 814S - 814S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]