Interspecific hybridization of grasses represents a valuable plant breeding procedure for developing new species with superior grazing value for livestock. Evaluations were made of the hybrid cross between quackgrass (Elytrigia repens [L.] Beauv.) × bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata [Pursh.] Scribn and Smith) to determine how animal preferences for these hybrids were influenced by grazing season and year. Significant differences in the preference shown by steers as measured by bite counts in 1981 and percent utilization (P<0.01) in 1982 existed among the 46 clonal lines for each of the 2 successive years. Preference rankings for lines selected the first year were not identical to those selected a second year although lines with high preference rankings the first year were generally preferred the second year. A clonal line, designated line 30, was most preferred in 7 of 8 subtrials in 1981 and ranked in the top 3 preferred plants in all trials in 1982. There was a 4-week period in early summer when preference differences were minimal. It was attributed to the abundant regrowth on all lines at this time and was found to have a significant (P<0.01) effect on steers' dietary choices. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.