Selection for persistence of endophyte-free meadow fescue under intensive grazing versus frequent mowing

Abstract

Background: Meadow fescue (Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P.Beauv.) is highly adapted to managed rotational grazing systems with sufficient rest periods to promote regrowth and sward longevity. It is not well adapted to intensive grazing with set stocking that results in limited regrowth periods and defoliation heights less than 10 cm.

Methods: Six populations were identified on farms that used relatively intensive grazing with a combination of set stocking and rotational grazing and a relatively sparse population density of meadow fescue plants. These populations were subjected to three cycles of selection for persistence on their farm of origin and on an experimental research farm where the plots were frequently mowed with a residual sward height of 5 cm. Original and selected populations were evaluated under both defoliation regimes.

Results: Five of the six populations responded to selection with increased persistence under grazing, but four of these had correlated selection responses toward reduced forage accumulation, suggesting selection for a more prostrate growth habit.

Conclusions: Selection under frequent mowing led to some increases in persistence, but the increases were significantly less than for the selections under grazing pressure, strongly indicating selection pressure for different plant traits between grazing and mowing.

Keywords

breeding / forage productivity / genetics / persistence / Schedonorus pratensis

References

[1] Benot, M. L., Morvan-Bertrand, A., Mony, C., Huet, J., Sulmon, C., Decau, M. L., Prud'homme, M. P., & Bonis, A. (2019). Grazing intensity modulates carbohydrate storage pattern in five grass species from temperate grasslands. Acta Oecologica, 95, 108-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2018.11.005

[2] Bombarely, A., Doulis, A. G., Lambrou, K. K., Zioutis, C., Margaritis, E., & Koubouris, G. (2021). Elucidation of the origin of the monumental olive tree of Vouves in Crete, Greece. Plants, 10(11), 2374. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10112374

[3] Brink, G. E., Beth Hall, M., Mertens, D. R., & Casler, M. D. (2008). Grass yield and quality affect potential stocking rate and milk production. Forage & Grazinglands, 6(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1094/FG-2008-0313-01-RS

[4] Brink, G. E., Casler, M. D., & Martin, N. P. (2010). Meadow fescue, tall fescue, and orchardgrass response to defoliation management. Agronomy Journal, 102(2), 667-674. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2009.0376

[5] Briske, D. D. (1996). Strategies of plant survival in grazed systems: A functional interpretation. In J. Hodgson, & A. W. Illius (Eds.), The ecology and management of grazed systems (pp. 37-67). CAB Intl.

[6] Brougham, R. W., & Harris, W. (1967). Rapidity and extent of changes in genotypic structure induced by grazing in a ryegrass population. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 10(1), 56-65. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288233.1967.10423077

[7] Brummer, E. C., & Moore, K. J. (2000). Persistence of perennial coolseason grass and legume cultivars under continuous grazing by beef cattle. Agronomy Journal, 92(3), 466-471. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2000.923466x

[8] Caldwell, M. M., Richards, J. H., Johnson, D. A., Nowak, R. S., & Dzurec, R. S. (1981). Coping with herbivory: Photosynthetic capacity and resource allocation in two semiarid Agropyron bunchgrasses. Oecologia, 50(1), 14-24. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378790

[9] Casler, M. D. (2025). Selection of meadow fescue for persistence under frequent defoliation. Grassland Research, 4(2), 131-139. https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.70005

[10] Casler, M. D., Fales, S. L., Undersander, D. J., & McElroy, A. R. (2001). Genetic progress from 40 years of orchardgrass breeding in North America measured under management intensive rotational grazing. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 81(4), 713-721. https://doi.org/10.4141/P01-032

[11] Casler, M. D., & Waldron, B. L. (2023). Endophytic fungal infection of meadow fescue in the Driftless Area of the Upper Mississippi River Valley: Impacts on agronomic fitness. Grasses, 2(4), 263-275. https://doi.org/10.3390/grasses2040019

[12] Casler, M. D., Undersander, D. J., Fredericks, C., Combs, D. K., & Reed, J. D. (1998). An on-farm test of perennial forage grass varieties under management intensive grazing. Journal of Production Agriculture, 11(1), 92-99. https://doi.org/10.2134/jpa1998.0092

[13] Charles, A. H. (1970). Ryegrass populations from intensively managed leys. I. Seedling and spaced plant characters. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 75(1), 103-107. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859600026101

[14] Charles, A. H. (1979). Treading as a factor in sward deterioration. In A. H. Charles & R. J Haggar (Eds.) Changes in sward composition and productivity. (pp. 137-140). British Grassland Society.

[15] Cluzeau, D., Binet, F., Vertes, F., Simon, J. C., Riviere, J. M., & Trehen, P. (1992). Effects of intensive cattle trampling on soil-plant-earthworms system in two grassland types. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 24(12), 1661-1665. https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(92)90166-U

[16] Coughenour, M. B. (1985). Graminoid responses to grazing by large herbivores: Adaptations, exaptations, and interacting processes. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 72(4), 852-863. https://doi.org/10.2307/2399227

[17] Culvenor, R. A., & Simpson, R. J. (2014). Persistence traits in perennial pasture grasses: the case of phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.). Crop & Pasture Science, 65(11), 1165-1176. https://doi.org/10.1071/CP13333

[18] Culvenor, R. A., Boschma, S. P., & Reed, K. F. M. (2009a). Response to selection for grazing tolerance in winter-active populations of phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.). 1. Persistence under grazing in three environments. Crop & Pasture Science, 60(11), 1097-1106. https://doi.org/10.1071/CP09036

[19] Culvenor, R. A., Boschma, S. P., & Reed, K. F. M. (2009b). Response to selection for grazing tolerance in winter-active populations of phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.). 2. Correlated response in yield potential, plant characteristics, and alkaloid levels. Crop & Pasture Science, 60(11), 1107-1116. https://doi.org/10.1071/CP08459

[20] Culvenor, R. A., Dobbie, M.J., Wood, J. T., & Forrester, R. I. (2002). Selection for persistence under grazing in winter-active populations of the perennial grass, Phalaris aquatica L. (phalaris). Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 53(9), 1059-1068. https://doi.org/10.1071/AR02003

[21] Currey, D. R. (1965). An ancient bristlecone pine stand in Eastern Nevada. Ecology, 46(4), 564-566. https://doi.org/10.2307/1934900

[22] Drewery, J. J. (2006). Natural recovery of soil physical properties from treading damage of pastoral soils in New Zealand and Australia: A review. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 114(2-4), 159-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2005.11.028

[23] Drewry, J. J., & Paton, R. J. (2000). Effects of cattle treading and natural amelioration on soil physical properties and pasture under dairy farming in Southland, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 43(3), 377-386. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288233.2000.9513438

[24] Drewry, J. J., Cameron, K. C., & Buchan, G. D. (2001). Effect of simulated dairy cow treading on soil physical properties and ryegrass pasture yield. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 44(2-3), 181-190. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288233.2001.9513476

[25] Duncan, D. S., Krohn, A. L., Jackson, R. D., & Casler, M. D. (2015). Conservation implications of the introduction history of meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) to the Driftless Area of the Upper Mississippi Valley, USA. Plant Ecology & Diversity, 8(1), 91-99. https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2013.851294

[26] Edmond, D. B. (1964). Some effects of sheep treading on the growth of 10 pasture species. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 7(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288233.1964.10419994

[27] Falkner, L. K., & Casler, M. D. (1998). Preference for smooth bromegrass clones is affected by divergent selection for nutritive value. Crop Science, 38(3), 690-695. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci1998.0011183X003800030011x

[28] Falkner, L. K., & Casler, M. D. (2000). Genetic shifts in smooth bromegrass under grazing: Changes in nutritional value and preference for surviving vs. original genotypes. Grass and Forage Science, 55(4), 351-360. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2494.2000.00238.x

[29] Fornoni, J. (2011). Ecological and evolutionary implications of plant tolerance to herbivory. Functional Ecology, 25(2), 399-407. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01805.x

[30] Garner, F. H. (1963). The palatability of herbage plants. Grass and Forage Science, 18(2), 79-89. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2494.1963.tb00332.x

[31] Grime, J. P. (1977). Plant strategies and vegetation processes. John Wiley & Sons.

[32] Gundel, P. E., Martínez-Ghersa, M. A., Garibaldi, L. A., & Ghersa, C. M. (2009). Viability of Neotyphodium endophytic fungus and endophyte-infected and noninfected Lolium multiflorum seeds. Botany, 87(1), 88-96. https://doi.org/10.1139/B08-119

[33] Hazard, L., Betin, M., & Molinari, N. (2006). Correlated response in plant height and heading date to selection in perennial ryegrass populations. Agronomy Journal, 98(6), 1384-1391. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2005.0115

[34] He, J.S., Wang, X., Flynn, D. F. B., Wang, L., Schmid, B., & Fang, J. (2009). Taxonomic, phylogenetic, and environmental trade-offs between leaf productivity and persistence. Ecology, 90(10), 2779-2791. https://doi.org/10.1890/08-1126.1

[35] Heady, H. F. (1964). Palatability of herbage and animal preference. Journal of Range Management, 17(2), 76-82. https://doi.org/10.2307/3895315

[36] Hiatt, III, E. E., Hill, N. S., Bouton, J. H., & Stuedemann, J. A. (1999). Tall fescue endophyte detection: Commercial immunoblot test kit compared with microscopic analysis. Crop Science, 39(3), 796-799. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci1999.0011183X003900030030x

[37] Hopkins, A. A. (2005). Grazing tolerance of cool-season grasses planted as seeded sward plots and spaced plants. Crop Science, 45(4), 1559-1564. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2004.0353

[38] Hume, D. E., Schmid, J., Rolston, M. P., Vijayan, P., & Hickey, M. J. (2011). Effect of climatic conditions on endophyte and seed viability in stored ryegrass seed. Seed Science and Technology, 39(2), 481-489. https://doi.org/10.15258/sst.2011.39.2.19

[39] Kemp, D. R., & Culvenor, R. A. (1994). Improving the grazing and drought tolerance of temperate perennial grasses. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 37(3), 365-378. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288233.1994.9513074

[40] Littell, R. C., Milliken, G. A., Stroup, W. W., Wolfinger, R. D., & Schabenberger, O. (2006). SAS for mixed models (2nd ed.). SAS Institute Inc.

[41] Liu, M., Gong, J., Li, Y., Li, X., Yang, B., Zhang, Z., Yang, L., & Hou, X. (2019). Growth-defense trade-off regulated by hormones in grass plants growing under different grazing intensities. Physiologia Plantarum, 166(2), 553-569. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.12802

[42] Lundgren, M. R., & Des Marais, D. L. (2020). Life history variation as a model for understanding trade-offs in plant-environment interactions. Current Biology, 30(4), R180-R189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.01.003

[43] Matches, A. G. (1992). Plant response to grazing: A review. Journal of Production Agriculture, 5(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.2134/jpa1992.0001

[44] Pande, T. N., & Yamamoto, H. (2006). Cattle treading effects on plant growth and soil stability in the mountain grassland of Japan. Land Degradation & Development, 17(4), 419-428. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.747

[45] Polley, H. W., & Detling, J. K. (1988). Herbivory tolerance of Agropyron smithii populations with different grazing histories. Oecologia, 77(2), 261-267. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00379196

[46] Rolston, M. P., Hare, M. D., Moore, K. K., & Christensen, M. J. (1986). Viability of Lolium endophyte fungus in seed stored at different moisture contents and temperature. New Zealand Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 14(3), 297-300. https://doi.org/10.1080/03015521.1986.10423042

[47] Stebbins, G. L. (1981). Coevolution of grasses and herbivores. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 68(1), 75-86, https://doi.org/10.2307/2398811.

[48] USDA-NRCS. (2024). Web soil survey. https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2026 The Author(s). Grassland Research published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Chinese Grassland Society and Lanzhou University.