Assessing the potential of native ecotypes of Poa pratensis L. for forage yield and phytochemical compositions under water deficit conditions

Evaluation of forage yield and antioxidant activity in Poa pratensis with high quality and good spring green-up forage might help variety improvement for use under water deficit condition. Germplasm and phenotypic diversity evaluations lay a foundation for genotype selection and improvement of varieties for drought tolerance in P. pratensis. The present study was conducted to assess the genetic potential of a collection of P. pratensis accessions for drought stress and to identify the association between polyphenol compounds and forage yield traits. Vegetative clone samples of 100 accessions collected from a diverse geographical area of Iran were clonally propagated in a greenhouse and evaluated in the field under two moisture regimes (non-stress and drought stress) in 2018 and 2019. Drought stress had negative effects on fresh and dry forage yields and reduced phenotypic variances. On average, drought stress reduced fresh and dry forage yields by 45% and 28%, respectively. The results of Mantel test showed no significant correlation between forage yield traits and geographical distances. Genetic coefficients of variation for forage yield and most of the phytochemicals were lower under drought stress, suggesting that deficit irrigation may reduce genetic variation for the tested traits. The estimates of heritability were higher under non-stress conditions than under drought stress treatment for forage yield traits and few polyphenols. However, the majority of polyphenol compounds had higher heritability than forage yield traits under drought stress, which suggests the potential for indirect selection. The ‘Ciakhor’, ‘Damavand’, ‘Karvandan’, ‘Abrumand’, and ‘Abr2’ accessions had high quantities for polyphenols and yield traits under both moisture regimes. These accessions are promising candidates for use in variety crossing programs and for developing high-yielding varieties under water-deficit conditions.