Abstract:
Rawalakot lies under humid temperate
region at the height of 5500 ft from the sea level. The area is hilly
and soils are prone to heavy erosion due to the loss of vegetative cover.
Winter frost and snow often kills the local forages and thus depriving
the livestock from green herbage altogether. Seven varieties of Lolium
perenne (perennial ryegrass) from European and American germplasm
were evaluated for their forage value and soil cover potential under
Rawalakot conditions. All varieties compared were diploid (2n = 14).
The comparison was based on plant height, fresh and dry matter yield,
number of cuttings/ year and tillers plant-1. The variety
VA88002 was found to be the best one in plant height and dry and fresh
herbage yield followed by SERVO and APUS. When tiller number was compared,
the variety APUS was found to be at the top followed by VA88001 and
others. All varieties were of spreading nature with increasing persistence
in following years and found to be suitable for cutting, grazing and
soil conservation
S. D. Ahmad , M. Hammad and S.A. Majid , 2001. Exotic
Lolium perenne Varieties: Their Forage Value and Soil Cover Potential
in Himalayas Region. Journal of Biological Sciences, 1: 815-817.
Subscribe Today 
