فاطمه امینی - Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding Sciences, College of Abouraihan, University of Tehran, P. O. Box: ۳۳۹۱۶-۵۳۷۵۵, Tehran, Iran.
پیمان معصومی - Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding Sciences, College of Abouraihan, University of Tehran, P. O. Box: ۳۳۹۱۶-۵۳۷۵۵, Tehran, Iran.
حسین رامشینی - Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding Sciences, College of Abouraihan, University of Tehran, P. O. Box: ۳۳۹۱۶-۵۳۷۵۵, Tehran, Iran.
محمدعلی نوروزیان - Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding Sciences, College of Abouraihan, University of Tehran, P. O. Box: ۳۳۹۱۶-۵۳۷۵۵, Tehran, Iran.

This study was carried out to compare agro-morphological traits and nutritive value of ۲۵ tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) ecotypes grown in Tehran, Iran. The experiments were carried out in a split plot design during ۲۰۱۶-۲۰۱۸ growing seasons. The results showed that there was a significant genetic variation in existing germplasm. The highest heritability was related to dry forage yield and collar diameter (۸۸%). The low heritability levels of forage quality related traits indicated that environmental effects play a greater role in controlling this trait. The mean comparison showed that Isfahan ecotype ۱۱ had the highest number of fertile shoots, dry forage yield and diameter of collar while ecotypes of Shahrood ecotype ۹ had the highest percentage of dry mater and Dauphine genotype with ۱۶.۰۵% had the highest protein percentage. The number of fertile shoots (NFS) had a positive and significant correlation with dry forage yield (DFY) and plant height (PH). DFY was positively correlated with NDF (۰.۷۱) and negatively correlated with CP (-۰.۶۲). In AFLP analysis out of the ۴۶۳ scored bands, ۳۳۹ (۶۸%) were polymorphic. PIC values ranged from ۰.۳۴ (EcoACA-MseCTA) to ۰.۱۰ (EcoAGC-MseCAC). The results showed that genetic distances between ecotypes based on agro-morphologic characters and nutritional values were correlated based on AFLP (r=۰.۴۱, P=۰.۰۵) results. Based on cluster analysis all genotypes were classified into ۴ genotypic groups. Considerable genetic variation and high heritability estimates indicate that direct selection for increasing forage yield could be promising. However, breeding nutritional values of forage quality might be more difficult due to environmental effects.

Cluster analysis, Forage yield, Forage quality, Heritability