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Ploidy Effects on Protein, in Vitro Dry Matter Disappearance, and Potassium/(Calcium + Magnesium) Equivalent Ratio in Tall Fescue Forage 1
Author(s) -
Kasperbauer M. J.,
Karlen D. L.,
Burton H. R.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1987.0011183x002700050051x
Subject(s) - dry matter , festuca arundinacea , biology , forage , zoology , potassium , festuca , magnesium , fodder , calcium , tetany , ploidy , rubidium , agronomy , botany , poaceae , chemistry , biochemistry , endocrinology , organic chemistry , gene
Use of higher ploidy levels to improve concentrations of protein and digestible matter in forage grass might adversely affect other plant characteristics. Tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) lines with 21, 42, or 84 chromosomes were used in a greenhouse study to evaluate the effects of pioidy level on forage in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD), crude protein, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations, and the K/(Ca + Mg) ratio (calculated on equivalent bas is). Protein and IVDMD increased with higher ploidy. The K/(Ca Mg) equivalent ratios were 1.35, 1.48, and 1.61 for the 21‐, 42‐, and 84‐chromosome lines, respectively. This increase in ratio with increase in ploidy occurred because K concentrations (primarily in cell contents) increased more than Ca and Mg concentrations. Although all ratios obtained in the 25°C greenhouse were below the critical value of 2.2 that is associated with increased occurrence of grass tetany, the study suggests that increasing the pioidy level of forage grass may increase its protein and IVDMD concentrations, but may also increase its K/(Ca + Mg) ratio and the potential to induce grass tetany under some field environments.