The Effect of Drought on Agronomic and Plant Physiological Characteristics of Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) Cultivars

Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) is becoming increasingly important for grassland farming due to climate change, which alters precipitation and increases droughts. Although it is generally considered to be drought-tolerant, little is known about the differences between cultivars. This study aimed to investigate the effects of four different field capacity (FC) levels (80%, 60%, 40%, and rewetting to 80% after a period of 40% FC) on the yield, crude protein content, water consumption, water use efficiency (WUE), and drought susceptibility index of five European cocksfoot cultivars (cv). A pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse subjected to the specified irrigation treatments over three growth periods. The results revealed significant differences in the cultivars’ responses to the irrigation treatments. Dry matter yield decreased under simulated drought conditions, while crude protein content and WUE increased. Prolana cv achieved the highest yield under drought conditions, Tandem cv had the highest WUE, and Laban cv exhibited the highest crude protein content. Rewetting to 80% FC in the last growth period resulted in similar dry matter and crude protein yields for all cultivars compared to full irrigation. These findings highlight the importance of selecting and breeding drought-tolerant cocksfoot cultivars to maintain high yields and quality in perennial grassland farming under future climate conditions.