Crested Wheatgrass Novator

Sitanion hirtum 'Novator' is an erect bush with dense, medium-thickness vegetation. Stems are round and straight, without hair, of medium coarseness; nodes are brown in color. Leaves are narrow-linear, flat: smooth on the underside, slightly rough on top, bright green in shade. Ligule is short and blunt, dense, with small cilia along the edge.


Seeds have an elongated-lanceolate shape, a small awn 3–4 mm long, brownish-light-brown in color. The inflorescence is a complex spikelet of medium loose texture and light-brown shade.


The product is distinguished by high drought and frost resistance, as well as good adaptability to sandy, saline, and saline soils. It withstands salinity up to 2% and is weakly affected by brown spot and septoria. Thanks to these properties, 'Novator' is suitable for creating lawns as well as a forage crop.


Within the scope of breeding work, two new varieties of Sitanion hirtum – 'Novator' and 'Boyarin' – were created, which were entered into the State Register of Breeding Achievements. This confirms their high productivity as both seed and forage.