Components of seed yield in 'Pierre' sideoats grama

Abstract

Sideoats grama [Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.] is an important component of grass mixtures planted for conservation and forage throughout the Great Plains. Relationships between seed yield and its components were determined for ‘Pierre’ sideoats grama for 2 years in a field nursery at Brookings, South Dakota. Analyses of variance indicated highly signifiant (P<0.01) dlfferences between years for seed yield, number of spikes/culm, number of spikelets/spike, seed set, and seed size but not number of reproductive culms. Significant (P<0.05) positive correlations were found between seed yield and number of reproductive culms and seed yield and seed set in both years. The largest direct path coefficients were between number of reproductive culms and seed yield (0.62 and 0.68 in 1985 and 1986, respectfvely) and seed set and seed yield (0.56 and 0.47 in 1985 and 1986, respectively). Selection for increased number of reproductive culms, which can be easily determined visually, and seed set should result in improved seed yield in this germplasm.