Lactuca indica ‘Minbei’ breeding

To meet the needs of small and medium-sized herbivorous livestock and poultry for industrial structure and the development of high-quality forage industry, the cultivation and domestication of wild Lactuca indica germplasm resources has been performed since 2005. Using individual selection and mixed breeding, a new variety, L. indica ‘Minbei’ was domesticated and registered by the Chinese Herbage Cultivar Registration Board in 2019. Variety comparison trial and regional and field trials were conducted from 2013 to 2018. The average ‘Minbei’ hay yield was 4 552.2 kg·ha⁻¹ which was 24.33%～26.68% higher than that of the control variety (L. indica ‘Mengzao’), and the difference was significant (P < 0.05). The average crude protein content of the first mowing fresh grass during the bolting period can reach 27.56%. This variety has strong adaptability and is a high-quality forage grass adapted to planting in artificial grassland in the southern region of China.