Climatic variation in forage grasses. I. Leaf development in climatic races of Lolium and Dactylis.
Abstract
Patterns of leaf expansion, under various light and temperature régimes, were studied in races of L. perenne and D. glomerata representing the climatic range encountered going from the Mediterranean region along the Atlantic coast to northern and central Europe. Winter growth was inversely correlated with cold hardiness and both were closely related to the winter temperatures of the place of origin.