Response of Different Perennial Ryegrass Varieties to Water Stress

Mladen Prijović, Dejan Sokolović, Jelena Dragišić Maksimović, Vuk Maksimović, Dragica Milosavljević, Snežana Babić, Marija Stepić and Aneta Sabovljević ()
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Mladen Prijović: Institute for Forage Crops, 37251 Kruševac, Serbia
Dejan Sokolović: Institute for Forage Crops, 37251 Kruševac, Serbia
Jelena Dragišić Maksimović: Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, 11030 Belgrade, Serbia
Vuk Maksimović: Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, 11030 Belgrade, Serbia
Dragica Milosavljević: Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, 11030 Belgrade, Serbia
Snežana Babić: Institute for Forage Crops, 37251 Kruševac, Serbia
Marija Stepić: Institute for Forage Crops, 37251 Kruševac, Serbia
Aneta Sabovljević: Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: Perennial ryegrass represents the most important forage grass, yet its generally low drought tolerance leads to reduced yields under water scarcity. Nevertheless, large intra- and inter-population variability could be a pool for selecting new drought-tolerant varieties. In this study we evaluated three populations (K-11, Exp population and Shandon) under semi-controlled conditions across four watering levels (100%, 70%, 50% and 30% of field water capacity), focusing on yield and key morphological and biochemical traits. Dry matter yield and root dry mass decreased in all populations under limited watering conditions. The highest biomass production in such conditions was observed in the Exp population, likely due to better root performance in the deeper soil layer. On the other hand, oxidative stress markers (MDA and H 2 O 2 ) and water-soluble sugars, which indicated the best physiological status in cultivar K-11 under severe drought, did not lead to the highest DMY. These results show the importance of including multiple physiological and biochemical traits in breeding processes, with the aim of developing perennial ryegrass cultivars capable of withstanding prolonged and intense summer drought as a consequence of climate change.

Keywords: drought tolerance; perennial ryegrass; root depth; oxidative stress markers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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