Evaluation of herbage yield and quality in some accessions of Festuca arundinacea under dry land farming conditions in Kermanshah Province

In order to evaluate the forage quality and yield, 36 accessions of Festuca arundinacea were investigated by using randomized complete block design with three replications under dry land condition. Traits such as the forage dry matter yield and quality were measured. The results of the variance analysis indicated a significant difference between accessions and other traits studied. Forage dry matter yield and neutral detergent fiber had greatest the heritabilities and water solution carbohydrate had lowest heritability. A negative correlation was observed between forage dry matter yield with digestibility dry matter and crude protein but with other traits, positive correlation was observed. A positive correlation (p≤0.05) was observed between digestibility dry matter with water solution carbohydrate and with acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber negative correlation was observed. Among the quality traits studied, the crude protein indicated positive and significant correlation with ashes percent (p≤0.05) and significant positive correlation between ashes percen and neutral detergent fiber was observed. The cluster analysis and mean comparison among groups resulting from the cluster analysis verified these results. Using factor analysis, three factors could be identified after Varimaxrotation. These independent factors accounted for 76.79 % of total variance. The first and the second factors were markers of the forage quality and The third factor indicated the forage dry matter yield. According to the mean comparison and the factor analysis, accessions 1, 8, 4, 7, 18 and 36 had greatest values for forage dry matter yield, digestibility dry matter and water solution carbohydrate, But for neutral detergent fiber had lowest value than other accessions. According to second and thired factors the optimum amount of the herbage yield and crude protein were observed for accessions 19, 6, 32, 23, 33, 16 and 7 and was greatest amount for neutral detergent fiber and ash percentage. Consequently, accessions 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 25 could be introduced and suggested to produce artificial cultivars in breeding program under dry land condition in Kermanshah province.