A comparison of British and North African varieties of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). 2. Growth during winter and survival at low temperatures.
Abstract
Dry weight and leaf area of tall fescue cv. Syn II (N. African) increased more rapidly than that of S170 during winter 1963. 4, particularly during Dec. and Jan. ; its greater RGR was associated with a higher leaf. area ratio, and in Dec. Jan. with a higher NAR. S170 was then no longer increasing in leaf area and contained much higher levels of soluble carbohydrate than Syn II. When leaf area began to increase again, the carbohydrate level in S170 fell and its NAR increased until it equalled that of Syn II. 2 N. temperate and 7 Mediterranean varieties of tall fescue were exposed to a range of low temp., -5 to -20°C, for 6 h. Most plants survived-5°C with little damage, whereas none survived a temp, of - 16.5°C or below. The N. temperate varieties were the more hardy, and there was a clear inverse relationship between ability to survive low temp, and ability to grow rapidly in winter. [See also H. a. 38: 1476].