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Title: Survey of diverse wheat lines for forage tannins

Author
item Mackown, Charles
item CARVER, BRETT - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
item EDWARDS, JEFF - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/22/2006
Publication Date: 11/12/2006
Citation: Mackown, C.T., Carver, B.F., Edwards, J. 2006. Survey of diverse wheat lines for forage tannins [abstract]. Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America Meeting, November 12-16, 2006, Indianapolis, IN. 2006 CD-ROM.

Interpretive Summary: ABSTRACT ONLY

Technical Abstract: Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the main cool-season forage grown in the southern Great Plains. The high digestibility, soluble protein, and intake of lush growing wheat contribute to pasture bloat, leading to substantial economic loss. In the 1999-2000 grazing season in OK 40% of animal deaths were attributed to bloat causing a $5 million loss. Forage tannins can reduce the incidence and severity of bloat, promote better use of forage protein, and provide a passive means to manage pasture bloat. The objective of our research was to measure tannin content and variability in wheat cultivars and experimental lines to determine the feasibility of using traditional breeding methods to give producers a passive choice to reduce the incidence of bloat. Fall forage samples were collected from 218 diverse lines and four check cultivars distributed among 12 blocks in an augmented randomized complete block design. Significant forage yield differences occurred among the lines (range, 188-1140 kg/ha; mean, 556 kg/ha not different from checks). Differences among the lines in extractable phenolic acids (tannic acid equivalents) were significant (range, 14.8-32.8 mg/g dry wt.; mean, 23.4 mg/g dry wt.), but condensed tannin (quebracho equivalents) differences were not significant (range 1.46-4.82 mg/g dry wt.; 2.67 mg/g dry wt.). While we observed marked differences in tannic substances among the lines, even the greatest amounts detected are unlikely sufficient to render the forage bloat-safe. Perhaps those experimental lines with the most abundant tannin levels could be used in a traditional breeding program to increase the level of tannins in wheat forage.