Final published version
Licence: CC BY-NC-ND
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A novel grass hybrid to reduce flood generation in temperate regions
AU - MacLeod, Christopher Kit J.A.
AU - Humphreys, Mike W.
AU - Whalley, W. Richard
AU - Turner, Lesley
AU - Binley, Andrew
AU - Watts, Chris W.
AU - Skøt, Leif
AU - Joynes, Adrian
AU - Hawkins, Sarah
AU - King, Ian P.
AU - O'Donovan, Sally
AU - Haygarth, Phil M.
PY - 2013/5/20
Y1 - 2013/5/20
N2 - We report on the evaluation of a novel grass hybrid that provides efficient forage production and could help mitigate flooding. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is the grass species of choice for most farmers, but lacks resilience against extremes of climate. We hybridised L. perenne onto a closely related and more stress-resistant grass species, meadow fescue Festuca pratensis. We demonstrate that the L. perenne × F. pratensis cultivar can reduce runoff during the events by 51% compared to a leading UK nationally recommended L. perenne cultivar and by 43% compared to F. pratensis over a two year field experiment. We present evidence that the reduced runoff from this Festulolium cultivar was due to intense initial root growth followed by rapid senescence, especially at depth. Hybrid grasses of this type show potential for reducing the likelihood of flooding, whilst providing food production under conditions of changing climate.
AB - We report on the evaluation of a novel grass hybrid that provides efficient forage production and could help mitigate flooding. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is the grass species of choice for most farmers, but lacks resilience against extremes of climate. We hybridised L. perenne onto a closely related and more stress-resistant grass species, meadow fescue Festuca pratensis. We demonstrate that the L. perenne × F. pratensis cultivar can reduce runoff during the events by 51% compared to a leading UK nationally recommended L. perenne cultivar and by 43% compared to F. pratensis over a two year field experiment. We present evidence that the reduced runoff from this Festulolium cultivar was due to intense initial root growth followed by rapid senescence, especially at depth. Hybrid grasses of this type show potential for reducing the likelihood of flooding, whilst providing food production under conditions of changing climate.
U2 - 10.1038/srep01683
DO - 10.1038/srep01683
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 23619058
AN - SCOPUS:84877774392
VL - 3
JO - Scientific Reports
JF - Scientific Reports
SN - 2045-2322
M1 - 1683
ER -