In order to investigate the genetic variation in tissue culture response and to ®nd the cultivars with high regeneration ability for genetic transformation, twenty®ve turf-type tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) cultivars, including many elite ones released recently, were evaluated for their callus induction and plant regeneration responses. Callus induction was initiated from mature see...

Tall fescue is widely used in temperate regions throughout the world as a dominant forage grass as well as a turfgrass, in pastoral and turf industry. However, the utilization of tall fescue was limited because of its leaf roughness, poor regeneration ability and poor stress resistance. New cultivars were desirable in modern pastoral industries exceed the potential of existing cultivars. Theref...

Curvularia eragrostidis, a causal agent of head blight on the weed (Digitaria sanguinalis), did not cause disease on the turfgrass Festuca arundinacea. Different extracellular esterase isoenzymes were detected in saprophytic and parasitic phases during the fungal germination. The epicuticular waxes of D. sanguinalis were more efficient to induce the secretion of esterases from the fungus than t...

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is used to analyze gene function in dicotyledonous plants but less so in monocotyledonous plants (particularly rice and corn), partially due to the limited number of virus expression vectors available. Here, we report the cloning and modification for VIGS of a virus from Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (tall fescue) that caused systemic mosaic symptoms on barley,...

Infrequently mowed grass areas on institutional grounds and golf courses can reduce mowing costs impart a natural appearance to the property. However, weed encroachment into these compromise aesthetic appeal of stand increase associated with control. The objective this 2-yr field study was determine influence species frequency cover quality. Six or mixtures were established from seed subjected ...

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is the most commonly used cultivated grass in the United States to feed beef cattle. Tall fescue is a cool-season perennial grass that many cattle producers ‘can’t live with, but can’t live without’ because of its hardiness and good forage yields, but adverse effects on cattle well-being and yields. The history of this forage and its effects on animal p...

Heat stress transcription factors (HSFs) compose a large gene family, and different members play differential roles in regulating plant responses to abiotic stress. The objectives of this study were to identify and characterize an A2-type HSF, FaHsfA2c, in a cool-season perennial grass tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) for its association with heat tolerance and to determine the underly...

Tunisian tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is an important grass for forages or soil conservation, particularly in marginal sites. Inter-simple sequence repeats were used to estimate genetic diversity within and among 8 natural populations and 1 cultivar from Northern Tunisia. A total of 181 polymorphic inter-simple sequence repeat markers were generated using 7 primers. Shannon's index...

Bioassay techniques are often used to study the effects of allelochemicals on plant processes, and it is generally observed that the processes are stimulated at low allelochemical concentrations and inhibited as the concentrations increase. A simple empirical model is presented to analyze this type of response. The stimulation-inhibition properties of allelochemical-dose responses can be descri...