Fitting Germplasm Types of Tall Fescue and Orchardgrass to Different Cropping Environments of the Mediterranean Region

Sardinia revealed (i) crossover cultivar × location interaction in orchardgrass, with dormant germ-plasm performing best in the drier Algerian site, and nondormant Mediterranean material per-forming best in Sardinia; and (ii) the advantage of tall fescue over orchardgrass in both sites.Yield of Algerian populations of orchardgrass and tall fescue grown in Algeria was generallylower than the best control ( Flecha tall fescue). Other studies in Italy showed (i) the possibility toselect orchardgrass from Mediterranean germplasm that combines summer survival undermoderate stress with response to summer rain events; (ii) the nil effect in a Mediterranean site,and the slightly positive effect in a subcontinental climate site of endophyte infection on tallfescue survival; and (iii) the adaptation of Mediterranean and Continental fescue germplasm totheir respective climatic areas.