The Eco-biological Characteristics Of Crested Wheatgrasses In Desert Steppe

The eco-biological characteristics of Wheatgrasses was studied on "the experimental demonstrative base for industrialized production technique of wheatgrass" in West Sunite Banner, Xilingol county, Inner Mongolia in 2002. The objective lied in comparing three species of wheatgrasses' adaptability and yield performance under semi-irrigation condition on desert steppe. The results showed that: three species of wheatgrasses are all resistant to drought, wind-drift sand and endure to sterile soil, and with fine adaptability to local conditions. Furthermore all turned to green early and turned to yellow late, the green period was long, among which hybrid wheatgrass was most obvious, turned green on March 26, retained green until late October when it was frost, its green period reached 208 days. It was found that three cultivars(species) of wheatgrasses are all with short rhizome, among which Agropyron desertorum was the most typical, during vegetative phase after bearing fruit and the rhizome number was able to reach 12. Three cultivars(species) had two types of tillering modle, hybrid wheatgrass belonged to the modle of tillering continuously during the whole growth period, both Mongolian wheatgrass keng and standard wheatgrass tillering in spring and autumn, mainly in autumn.The yield test indicated that during the fruiting phase the hay yield of hybrid wheatgrass, Mongolian wheatgrass keng, standard wheatgrass were 458.02, 358.12, 275.53 kg/acre respectively, seed yield were 58.01, 47.00, 44.29 kg/acre respectively.Agropyron cristatumxA.desertorum cv.Hycrest-Mongnon was a newly cultivated high-yielding variety with strong heterosis, abundant foliage, which was easily affected by outer environmental condition and requested higher moisture and temperature. It was able to get better beneficial result(under suitable condition). Agropyron mongolicum keng was a new cultivar tamed many years from anInner Mongolian local species-Agropyron mongolicum Keng.cv.neimeng,standard wheatgrass was a species introduced from middle of Inner Mongolia, belonging to the species of Agropyron desertorum, the performances of the two species of wheatgrasses was more stable, less affected by outer environment.Especially Agropyron mongolicum keng was a typical species resistant to unfavorable conditions and represented high adaptability to desert steppe conditions.