Determination of Some Characteristics of Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) Populations Collected from Natural Areas of Eskisehir for Breeding Purposes

ABSTRACT: The aim of the research is obtaining material and information for breeding of new varieties which can be used as pasture and forage plant in Central Anatolia and resembling regions. Some of the cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) seeds, collected from natural areas in 2010-2011, and were sent with passport information to the Gene Banks in Ankara and Izmir. The rest of the seeds were grown in greenhouse and then transfered to the field. In 2012, 32 populations were identified by observing (according to 1-9 and 1-5 scale) and measuring some characteristics. Then, mean and standard error values of the obtained data were determined. The mean values of the populations in main stem length, main stem thickness, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, number of nodes, internode length, growth pattern, rust resistance, winter resistance and tillering capacity changed between 43.9-72.4 cm, 2.0-3.3 mm, 7.8-16.0 cm, 2.9-5.4 mm, 2.3-4.5, 7.5-16.0 cm, 6.4-8.8, 6.6-8.0, 4.7-8.3 and 5.4-8.1, respectively. The relations between the characteristics were examined by correlation analysis. Furthermore, ploidy levels of some single plants selected from the natural populations for breeding purposes were determined by flow cytometry analysis and all of these plants studied were found tetrapolid