Narrative
The United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service announce the release of improved crested wheatgrass 'USDA-FORAGECREST' developed from a hybrid between crested wheatgrass cultivar 'Hycrest' (drought tolerance) and 'Douglas' (forage nutritional quality). Despite not having any genetics from the cultivar Newkirk, which was released in Canada, USDA-FORAGECREST is most similar to Newkirk. However, Newkirk is significantly (P < 0.10) taller than USDAFORAGECREST at Millville and Nephi, UT. Morphologically, USDA-FORAGECREST has longer (P < 0.05) glumes and glume awns than does Hycrest II, Hycrest, and Nordan at both locations. Seedlings of USDA-FORAGECREST have a greater percent frequency (P < 0.05) at Aberdeen, ID than Hycrest II, Hycrest, Newkirk, and Nordan. At Beaver, UT, USDA-FORAGECREST has a greater percent seedling frequency (P < 0.05) than Hycrest, Douglas, and Nordan, but similar to Hycrest II. USDAFORAGECREST had a greater (P < 0.05) percent frequency of plants (stand persistence) two (2008) and three (2009) years after seeding at Beaver, UT than did Hycrest II, Hycrest, Newkirk, and Nordan. Five years (2011) after seeding at Beaver, UT, USDAFORAGECREST had greater (P < 0.05) percent frequency of plants than Hycrest II, Hycrest, and Nordan. Dry-matter yield was less descriptive due to large variations in DMY between replications. At Aberdeen, ID the year after establishment, USDAFORAGECREST had significantly (P < 0.05) greater DMY than Hycrest II, Hycrest, and Nordan. In 20140 at P = 0.20, USDAFORAGECREST had greater DMY than Hycrest II, Hycrest, Newkirk, and Nordan. Due to a non-significant cultivar by year interaction, when combined over years, USDA-FORAGECREST had greater (P < 0.05) DMY then Hycrest II, Hycrest, and Nordan.