The practice of using collection material in the breeding of forage crops has long been relevant and one of the most effective methods for identifying genetic sources of economically valuable traits for breeding new highly productive varieties adapted to local environmental conditions. The purpose of the current study was to create and identify a new promising initial material for breeding crested wheatgrass for productivity in the North Caucasus region. Productivity improvement is the main concern of plant breeding, which all other specific directions are subordinate to. The study was carried out in 2017–2020. The objects of the study were 31 varieties of various ecological and geographical origin taken from the world collection of the All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Production named after N.I. Vavilov and 13 varieties developed by the Stavropol Research Institute of Agriculture, including the variety ‘Vikrav’, approved for use in the North Caucasus region as a hay and pasture grain crop in 1994. The trial was laid in fallow, in a single repetition, the accounting plot area was 1.75 m2 . According to the green and hay mass productivity, there have been identified 7 samples, they are ‘K-50974’ (from the Ukrainian village of Petrovsky), three wild-growing samples ‘K-52357’ (from Ukraine), ‘K-51330’ (from the Chelyabinsk region) and ‘K-52441’ (from Kazakhstan) and three samples ‘2/2–18’, ‘4/2–18’, ‘6/2–18’ (developed by the SNIISKh). According to seed productivity there have been distinguished 9 samples ‘K-50974’ (from the Ukrainian village of Petrovsky), four wild-growing samples ‘K-52357’, ‘K-51330’, ‘K-52441’, ‘K-51104’ and three samples ‘2/2–18’, ‘4/2–18’, ‘6/2–18’ (developed by the SNIISKh). According to the complex of the above described traits there have been identified 5 samples.

The practice of using wild-growing material in the breeding of forage crops has long been recognized as a relevant and effective method for creating new varieties. The purpose of the research was to assess wild-growing samples of the crested wheatgrass and isolate genetic sources of economically valuable traits for breeding in the Stavropol Territory. The research was carried out in 2017–2020. The material of the study – 22 wild specimens of crested wheatgrass (Agropyron pectiniforme Roem. et Shult.) of various ecological and geographical origin. The crested wheatgrass variety ‘Vikrav’ served as the standard. During the years of study, meteorological conditions were extremely dry. The assessment of the samples was carried out according to the guidelines for the selection of perennial cereal grasses. The experiment was laid on bare fallow, plot area – 3 m2. Sowing and maintenance work were carried out manually. On average, for three years (2018–2020), the yield of green mass of the studied samples ranged from 0.15 to 0.94 kg/m2; dry – from 0.07 to 0.38 kg/m2; seeds – from 0.015 to 0.070 kg/m2. Samples from Ukraine (d.d. 28, 30), Chelyabinsk region (d. 31) and Kazakhstan (d.d. 34 and 37) were more productive in terms of fodder weight. In terms of seed productivity, in the first year, wild samples from Aktobe (d. 5) and Chelyabinsk regions (d. 31), from Ukraine (d. 25) and Kazakhstan (d.d. 34 and 37) were distinguished. In the second year of herbage use – from the Chelyabinsk region (d. 31) and Kazakhstan (d.d. 35 and 37). In the third year of use, no significant excess over the standard was found. On average, over three years of use, wild specimens d. 31, d. 34, and d. 37 exceeded the standard in seed yield by 0.020-0.033 kg/m2. Wild specimens from the Chelyabinsk region (d. 31) and Kazakhstan (d. 34) were isolated according to the complex of valuable characteristics for use in breeding in the Stavropol Territory.