Morphological and Anatomical Traits of Short-Lived Ryegrass

The ryegrass species are visually similar, and therefore, correct identification of short-lived species is very important in breeding work. The aim of the current study was to identify short-lived ryegrass species and subspecies using anatomical and morphological characteristics. The study was carried out at the Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry (during 2007-2010). The assessment of morphological and anatomical traits showed that average values for species diverged, but values for individual plants often overlapped between species. One of the most characteristic traits of Lolium. x hybridum was darker leaf colour (6.7 score). Awns are characteristic for both Lolium multiflorum subspecies, while perennial ryegrass plants are awn-less. Lolium x hybridum has a short awn or no awn, depending on which parental (Lolium perenne or Lolium multiflorum) species trait was stronger. As a result, identification of short-lived species according to this trait is difficult, and sometimes impossible. Analysis of leaf cross-section of short-lived ryegrass species indicated that a characteristic of Lolium multiflorum subsp. multiflorum was conjugation of sclerenchyma fibres not only in the central but also in lateral bundles, in contrast with Lolium multiflorum subsp. italicum and Lolium x hybridum. Lolium multiflorum subsp. multiflorum. This difference occurs only at the inflorescence emergence stage