Determination of morphological variation in naturally collected festuca spp. L. species

This study was conducted to determine the morphological variation among 30 different Festuca (L.) genotypes collected from various natural habitats across Turkey. The morphological observations and measurements included turf quality (on a 19 scale), seasonal color change (19), leaf texture (19), plant density (19), panicle formation tendency (19), autumn growth habit (19), plant height (cm), plant diameter (cm), leaf width (mm), leaf length (cm), regrowth timing in spring (19), panicle length (cm), last internode length (cm), seed yield per plant (g/plant), and thousand seed weight (g).The relationships among these traits were analyzed using correlation analysis. Significant positive correlations were identified among certain traits, indicating the potential for multi-trait selection in cultivar development programs. The findings revealed a substantial level of morphological variation among the Festuca genotypes.These results highlight the importance of Festuca species as valuable genetic resources for forage crop breeding programs, as well as their potential contribution to the development of locally adapted cultivars and ecosystem-based pasture management strategies. Moreover, the morphological characterization of natural Festuca populations provides critical documentation of agrobiodiversity and establishes a scientific foundation for future breeding efforts.