Comparison of biomass accumulation-related traits in the F₁ hybrids of common wheat and tall wheatgrass and their parents

Decaploid tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum) is a perennial grass with significant tolerance to various biotic and abiotic stresses. To explore the application potential of the common wheat (Triticum aestivum) × Thinopyrum ponticum hybrid as a perennial grass, the F₁ plants derived from Triticum aestivum Zhongnong 28 × Thinopyrum ponticum were compared with Thinopyrum ponticum for biomass accumulation-related traits. The results showed that the F₁ hybrid had significantly higher projected area and compactness at the tilling, jointing, heading, and flowering stages, caliper lengths at the tilling, jointing, and heading stages, and object extent X and object extent Y at the tilling and heading stages, but significantly lower mean green color at the tilling and heading stages compared with Thinopyrum ponticum. Additionally, the compactness and mean green color in the F₁ were significantly higher than in Thinopyrum ponticum at 23 d after the first cutting, while the object extent X was lower. The leaf number, leaf length and width, and fresh weight per plant in the F₁ hybrid were also significantly higher than those of Thinopyrum ponticum at the jointing stage. In both the field as well as the greenhouse, the concentrations of chlorophyll and carotenoids in the F₁ hybrid was significantly higher than in Thinopyrum ponticum. In addition, the F₁ hybrid had higher concentrations of fructose, sucrose, and starch but lower concentrations of glucose in comparison with Thinopyrum ponticum around June 1^st. Finally, the F₁ hybrid produced more herbage yield than Thinopyrum Ponticum, regardless of the number of cuttings (once, twice, or thrice a year) in both Beijing and Nanpi. Regarding seed planting, the F₁ hybrid yielded more than Thinopyrum ponticum by 61.9%～103.5%. Two cuts a year produced the highest herbage yields for both the F₁ hybrid and Thinopyrum ponticum, of which the first cutting, carried out around June 1^st, led to a high yield and good quality. Collectively, the common wheat × tall wheatgrass F₁ hybrid has better application potential as a grass than Thinopyrum ponticum.