PLANT-SELECTION AND QUICK PROPAGATION.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XII, Issue 6, 20 June 1916, Page 467

PLANT-SELECTION AND QUICK PROPAGATION.

The following record of a grass selection at Moumahaki Experimental Farm is presented as an encouragement to those interested in the improvement of farm crops to carry out similar work, also as showing how quickly a selection of the class described can be propagated when correct methods are used.

On 24th March, 1915, the writer’s attention was attracted to a plant of Italian rye-grass in the field forage-crop tests at Moumahaki, owing to it not having run to seed like its neighbours and on account of its freedom from rust. The plant was lifted, and eighteen divisions were made from it and planted out. On 7th June the eighteen plants were lifted and 183 plants made by further

division, these being . given about i square foot each in the plot to allow of a hoe being used for cultivation. In order to delay seeding until a good roothold had been established the plants were cut on 21st October, the weight of the cutting being 68 lb. The plants then made. strong fresh growth, pollination took place between ,12th and 14th December, and the plot was harvested ,on sth January, 1916, yielding 6 lb. of seed approximately i| million seeds. . Some of this seed was plot-tested ’ during the past autumn and made a vigorous, heavy growth. The ' illustration shows the sheaves from which the seed was threshed in January. —J. Beverley, Assistant

Plant-breeder. . ; .