- 43 - 



Mass. Breeding Improved Strains of Orchard Grass (Dactylis 



Glomerat? L) for Massachusetts and the Northeast . To select 

 uniform strains of orchard grass, through inbreeding and 

 hybridization, vdth the following desirable features: 

 1. winter hardiness — most late maturing strains are suscep- 

 tible to winter injury, so winter hardiness must be combined 

 with late maturity; 2. late maturity — this is essential in 

 order that the grass will not become coarse and unpalatable 

 early in the season, and also in order th^t it will reach 

 silage or hay stage at the same time as the first cutting of 

 alfalfa; 3. leafiness — this contributes the nutritive value and 

 also the palat ability; 4. resistance to lodging — ability to 

 stand up under heavy nitrogen fertilization will prevent waste 

 and also facilitate harvesting operations; 5» resistance to 

 diseases — although no specific diseases appear to be serious 

 at present, the plant breeder must always be on the alert for 

 disease problems; and 6. sustained productivity — high forage 

 yield for several year? and good recovery after grazing or 

 cutting are of great economic importance to the farmers, 

 Agron. 11 



N. H. Improvement of Smooth Bromegrass. Red Clover and Alfalfa . 



(1) Develop an improved variety of smooth bromegrass with 

 resistance to brown leaf spot ( Pyrenophora bromi ) . better 

 summer production, and greater leafiness and vigor. (2) Test 

 alfalfa, bromegrass, and red clover for persistence and 

 adaptation. 



Agron. Il6 



N. C, The Improvement of Orchard Grass and Tall Fescue Through 



Breeding . (l) Study plant to plant variation in orchard grass 

 and tall fescue at a high level of nitrogen fertilization. 



(2) Use information in breeding of improved orchard grass and 

 tall fescue for use in mixtures and in pure stands. 



Field Crops 65 



Or eg. Studies on the Relationship of the Mite Pediculopsis 



Graminum Reut. to Silver Top Disease in Oregon Grasses . 

 (1) Study biology of Pediculopsis graminum Reut. and its 

 relation to Fusarium poae. (2) Learn how other arthropods 

 may be involved in mite-disease complex. (3) Test various 

 miticides and insecticides for control of P. grama num . 

 Ent., Bot., PI. Path. 291 



