Description
Sheepgrass (Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel) is an advantageous perennial native grass in China and other northern Eurasian countries having steppe. As an important forage grass of great value in animal husbandry, sheepgrass is well known for its abundant foliage, high palatability and high nutritive content. Sheepgrass is also valuable in grassland restoration and conservation since it is a perennial grass with a rhizome network to fix the soil and can survive well in stressful environments. Terefore, the collection, evaluation and utilization of sheepgrass are necessary for protecting grassland biodiversity, for establishing artificial pasture, restoring degraded grassland, and the development of forage industry and animal husbandry in Eurasia’s native steppe. Here, we reviewed our previous studies on the collection, evaluation of phenotypic diversity for germplasm resources, distribution and domestication of wild sheepgrass, and application of sheepgrass new varieties.
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Germplasm Evaluation of an Eurasia Steppe Native Specie--Sheepgrass (Leymus chinensis)
Sheepgrass (Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel) is an advantageous perennial native grass in China and other northern Eurasian countries having steppe. As an important forage grass of great value in animal husbandry, sheepgrass is well known for its abundant foliage, high palatability and high nutritive content. Sheepgrass is also valuable in grassland restoration and conservation since it is a perennial grass with a rhizome network to fix the soil and can survive well in stressful environments. Terefore, the collection, evaluation and utilization of sheepgrass are necessary for protecting grassland biodiversity, for establishing artificial pasture, restoring degraded grassland, and the development of forage industry and animal husbandry in Eurasia’s native steppe. Here, we reviewed our previous studies on the collection, evaluation of phenotypic diversity for germplasm resources, distribution and domestication of wild sheepgrass, and application of sheepgrass new varieties.
