A study of some fungal leafspot diseases of Dactylis glomerata in the Manawatu : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Agricultural Science in the University of New Zealand

Abstract

New Zealand is unique in that the entire basis of her national economy is based upon livestock-pastoral farming. Of the fortythree million acres in occupation for agricultural and pastoral purposes, seventeen and a half million are of sown pasture and about thirteen and a half million of natural grasslands. The seventeen and a half million acres of sown pasture are down in imported grasses of which approximately one half has been surface sown and the remainder sown on cultivated land with high producing English grasses. These have been selected for such qualities as leaf area and density of leaves, form of the plant, resistance to drought and many other desirable agronomic properties. Regarding the disease factor, there has been no attempt in New Zealand at breeding for resistance to disease with the exception of Blind seed disease of Ryegrass caused by Gloeotinia temulenta (Prill. et Delacr.) Wilson, Noble et Gray. [From Introduction]