Climate change and the associated droughts pose ever greater challenges to agriculture worldwide. Due to the dry periods, it will continue to become increasingly important in the future to use drought-tolerant species and varieties in permanent grassland mixtures.
A test is currently underway in the polytunnel of the HBLFA Raumberg Gumpenstein in which the drought tolerance of five cocksfoot varieties from different European regions is being examined. The plants are cultivated in Mitscherlich containers and exposed to varying degrees of drought stress. The results should provide information about drought tolerance as well as the efficiency of water use. In addition to the yield measurements, spectral measurements are carried out.
