Field Evaluation of Perennial Ryegrass Selected for Aluminum Tolerance on Fertile Soils

The progeny from 23 perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) plants which were selected for aluminium (Al) tolerance using a low ionic strength nutrient culture technique, were grown in nursery and field trial, to evaluate the agronomic performance in a fertile soil (i.e., in the absence of stress), There were no differences between the progeny from the Al-tolerant selected plan1s in the lines with low Argentine stem weevil (Listronotus bonariensis) damage and commercial cultivars in the nursery trial. There were also no differences in dry matter yield between an Al selection line consisting of seed bulked from 2 polycrosses and commercial cultivars in the field trial. The results indicate that the Al selected material performed as well as the commercial cultivars in the absence of Al stress, although Lolium endophyte needs to be reintroduced to some of the selected plants to protect against Argentine stem weevil damage.