Narrative
PLANTAIN
Plantago lanceolata
'Grasslands Lancelot'
Application No: 1996/016 Accepted: 12 Feb 1996
Applicant: New Zealand Pastoral Agriculture Research Institute Limited, AgResearch Grasslands, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Australian Agent: Mr A. (Tony) E. Stratton, AgResearch Grasslands, Albury, New South Wales 2640.
Description - see table of comparisons and figure
Ploidy 2n = 12. Plant: Glabrous to somewhat pubescent tufted perennial frequently developing numerous daughter plants from a single crown. Leaves: 20-30cm long, 1.5-5cm wide, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, gradually narrowing into a petiole, entire or weakly and distantly toothed, 3-5 parallel nerves. Anthocyanin frequently strong in leaf/petiole base. Scape: deeply furrowed, 32-79 cm long at anthesis, erect with terminal cylindrical head 2-7cm. Stamens: white to creamy yellow, conspicuously exserted, develop from base of head to tip progressively. Wind pollinated. Flowering time: Extended, mainly early-mid summer. Seed: Oval, brown, weight 1.6gm - 1.8gm per 1000.
Origin Inter-pollination of recurrent selections from wild populations. Breeder: Dr Bill Rumball, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Selection criteria: three cycles of selection for plant density, high vigour, seed head production, freedom from disease.
Propagation: seed.
Comparative Trials No varieties in cultivation were identified. 'PG 30' was selected as it was known to be close to commercialisation at the time. Seed was sown in seed trays of potting mix in a glasshouse and later transferred to a field site (20/10/92) at Palmerston North as planted replicated rows and sand beds (10/8/92) as spaced plants at 50cm spacing in alternating rows. Measurements recorded from 90-110 plants of each generation from sand bed plants.
Prior Applications and Sales New Zealand Plant Variety Rights Grant No. 803 (1993). First sales in New Zealand 16 August, 1995.
Description: Jeff E. Miller, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North New Zealand.
Comparison of Plantain varieties
'Grasslands Lancelot' *'PG 30'
MEAN HEADING DAY ( days from 8/10/93)
mean 18.84 12.21
std deviation 6.17 4.28
LSD/sig. 2.20 P0.001
LONGEST LEAF LENGTH (cm) at heading.
mean 25.34 27.68
std deviation 8.68 8.90
LSD/sig. 1.99 P0.001
LEAF WIDTH - above leaf (mm-widest part)
mean 49.86 63.98
std deviation 14.63 14.34
LSD/sig. 6.36 P0.001
PLANT GROWTH HABIT (1= prostrate, 5=erect)
mean 2.55 3.99
std deviation 0.80 0.81
LSD/sig. 0.28 P0.001
PLANT DENSITY SCORE (1=least, 5=most)
mean 4.08 3.52
std deviation 0.87 0.87
LSD/sig. 0.31 P0.001
*'PG 30' has since been released as 'Ceres Tonic'