Thinopyrum ponticum

Thinopyrum ponticum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Subfamily:	Pooideae
Tribe:	Triticeae
Genus:	Thinopyrum
Species:	T. ponticum
Binomial name
Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Z.-W.Liu & R.-C.Wang

Thinopyrum ponticum (syn. Agropyron elongatum, Elymus elongatus, Elymus obtusiflorus) is a species of grass known by the common names tall wheatgrass,^[1] rush wheatgrass, and Eurasian quackgrass. It is native to Eurasia and it has been introduced to many other parts of the world, including much of the Americas and Australia.^[2]

This perennial bunchgrass can grow up to 2 meters tall. The ribbed leaves have pale green blades a few millimeters wide. The inflorescence is a spike studded with spikelets up to 3 centimeters long, each containing up to 12 flowers.^[3]

This grass is used as a forage and for hay in many places.^[4] It is good for land with saline soils, and it can help reduce the salinity. It is also good for non-saline soils.^[5] This grass is commonly crossed with its relative, wheat, in order to give the wheat traits such as stress tolerance and pest resistance.^[6][7]

References

1. "Thinopyrum ponticum". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
2. Thinopyrum ponticum. Germplasm Resources Information Network.
3. Thinopyrum ponticum. Grass Manual Treatment.
4. Thinopyrum ponticum. USDA NRCS Plant Guide.
5. Tall wheat grass. Western Australia Department of Agriculture and Food.
6. Oliver, R. E., et al. (2006). Molecular cytogenetic characterization of four partial wheat-Thinopyrum ponticum amphiploids and their reactions to Fusarium head blight, tan spot, and Stagonospora nodorum blotch. Theor Appl Genet 112(8):1473-9.
7. Chen, G., et al. (2012). Molecular cytogenetic identification of a novel dwarf wheat line with introgressed Thinopyrum ponticum chromatin. J Biosci 37(1) 149-55.

External links