XVI International Botanical Congess

The Festuca genus is represented by 48 species in Siberia. F. arundinacea was chosen as an object for creating and studying its genepool in conditions of Siberia and was represented by thirty-one populations. Twenty-one features were studied during ten years, five of them were chosen as promoting tolerance of populations. Variability of genetically determined feature such as peak-hour in 24-hour rhythm of blooming varied from 2 to 10 hours. Average peak-hour of blossoming rhythm was 8.0h. Age of plants correlated with autofertility (r=0.914). When autofertility of plants increases, their self-incompatility decreases (r=0.785). The highest fertility: 75%-82% was in 2 to 4 year populations. Viability of seeds formed under free-pollination did not depend on age of plants. Under storage of seeds during seven years range of germination was 90%-100%. The pattern of branching is characterized as intravaginal, with the beginning of tillering when the fourth leaf develops. Nine age states such as: p, j, im, v, gl, g2, g3, ss and s were determined in the life cycle of plants. Possibility of study and use of the genepool of F. arundinacea was revealed.