Abstract: Scientific research progress both at home and abroad in reed canarygrass(Phalaris arundinacea L.) was summarized in terms of biological-ecological characteristics,forage value,and factors of influencing forage value,breeding,cultivation and utilization.P.arundinacea is a tall,leafy,and high-yielding perennial cool-season grass with strong winter hardiness.The potential of P.arundinacea as a forage crop is dependent on both its good agronomic performance and its high nutritional value.P.arundinacea has a very extensive root system and is both drought-and wet-tolerant.In addition to sexual reproduction by seed,P.arundinacea can be reproduced vegetatively by rhizome or even by plant parts and also capable of producing roots and shoots from the nodes of culms and establishing stands.P.arundinacea is very competitive once established and frequently develops into a solid monoculture.High alkaloid content of P.arundinacea affects its feeding value.To develop a suitable forage crop,high alkaloid content has been decreased and digestibility improved through breeding methods.A major problem with seed production of this species is the uneven ripening of seed heads and the seeds drop easily from seed heads near maturity.The optimal time of seed harvest of P.arundinacea cultivars was 16-18 days after anthesis and 11-13 days after anthesis for wild populations.P.arundinacea is a highly self-sterile species and only small amounts of selfed seed are expected under conditions of hybrid seed production.Breeding has aimed at improved seed retention and increased seed and forage yield for improved palatability.P.arundinacea might be a suitable crop for manure and N fertilizer application due to its consistently high yield and N uptake capacity.It can be used as pasture,hay,and silage.The best cutting frequency of P.arundinacea for dry matter production was 3-4 times per year for the higher efficiency of dry matter production.When using P.arund inacea for pasture,maintain the grass below 30 cm and the suitable stubble high is 7-10 cm.Finally,disc-ussions about P.arundinacea research in China are presented.

Key words: Reed canarygrass, Biological-ecological characteristics, Forage value, Cultivation and utilization

摘要： 从生物生态学特性、饲用价值及影响因素、品种选育、栽培与利用等方面对国内外饲用虉草(Phalaris arundinacea L.)研究进行综述。虉草属生长高大、多叶、高产的多年生冷季型禾本科牧草,具有优良的农艺性状和较高的营养价值,其根系强大,既抗旱又耐湿耐寒;除了种子,还可以根茎或分株进行营养繁殖,乃至茎节也可生根并长出枝条;虉草群落一但建成其竞争力很强,并迅速形成单优势种群落;虉草的高生物碱含量影响其饲用价值,通过育种可降低其生物碱含量,提高消化率;虉草种子在成熟前易脱落,栽培品种最适采种期是开花后16—18 d,野生种群是11—13 d;虉草属是高度自交不育植物,在种子生产中仅有少量自交种子;其育种目标是在改善适口性的同时,提高种子保持能力以及种子和饲草产量;虉草具有持续高产和吸收氮素的能力,因此很适合施有机肥或氮肥;虉草可用于放牧、青贮和调制干草,年刈割3~4次,干物质生产效率最高,放牧时,要保持草层高度不超过30 cm,适宜留茬高度为7~10 cm。最后,对我国在虉草研究中亟待解决的问题进行了讨论。

关键词: 虉草, 生物-生态学特性, 饲用价值, 栽培与利用