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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Forage and Range Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #250130
Title: Phenotypic and genetic characterization of western prairie clover collections from the western USA

Author
item BHATTARAI, KISHOR - Utah State University
item Bushman, Shaun
item Johnson, Douglas
item CARMAN, JOHN - Utah State University

Submitted to: Rangeland Ecology and Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/11/2010
Publication Date: 11/1/2010
Citation: Bhattarai, K., Bushman, B.S., Johnson, D.A., Carman, J.G. 2010. Phenotypic and genetic characterization of western prairie clover collections from the western USA. Rangeland Ecology and Management. 63:696-706.

Interpretive Summary: Few North American legumes are available for rangeland revegetation in the semi-arid western USA. Western prairie clover (Dalea ornata [Douglas] Eaton & Wright) is a perennial legume with desirable characteristics and is distributed in the Great Basin, Snake River Basin, and southern Columbia Plateau. Understanding the genetic and ecotypic variability of this species is a prerequisite for developing populations suitable for revegetation purposes. To address this need, we established two field plots of western prairie clover that originated from 24 sites in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Significant variation was detected among the collections for all traits measured. Among the measured traits, flowering time was correlated with collection-site temperature and elevation, which suggests adaptive significance. Genetic population structure estimates from 474 amplified-fragment length polymorphism markers resulted in two distinct, genetically differentiated groups and a third admixed group. These groups also differed in flowering date, inflorescence weight, and plant height. Significant positive correlations were observed between phenotypic and genetic distance matrices (r = 0.35, P = 0.003), phenotypic and geographic distance matrices (r = 0.35, P = 0.002), and genetic and geographic distance matrices (r = 0.32, P = 0.003). Based on these results, we recommend that two germplasm sources of western prairie clover be developed for use in rangeland revegetation, one from the Deschutes River watershed and the other encompassing the remaining range of collection sites.

Technical Abstract: Few North American legumes are available for rangeland revegetation in the semi-arid western USA. Western prairie clover (Dalea ornata [Douglas] Eaton & Wright) is a perennial legume with desirable characteristics and is distributed in the Great Basin, Snake River Basin, and southern Columbia Plateau. Understanding the genetic and ecotypic variability of this species is a prerequisite for developing populations suitable for revegetation purposes. To address this need, we established two field plots of western prairie clover that originated from 24 sites in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Significant variation was detected among the collections for all traits measured. Among the measured traits, flowering time was correlated with collection-site temperature and elevation, which suggests adaptive significance. Genetic population structure estimates from 474 amplified-fragment length polymorphism markers resulted in two distinct, genetically differentiated groups and a third admixed group. These groups also differed in flowering date, inflorescence weight, and plant height. Significant positive correlations were observed between phenotypic and genetic distance matrices (r = 0.35, P = 0.003), phenotypic, and geographic distance matrices (r = 0.35, P = 0.002), and genetic and geographic distance matrices (r = 0.32, P = 0.003). Based on these results, we recommend that two germplasm sources of western prairie clover be developed for use in rangeland revegetation, one from the Deschutes River watershed and the other encompassing the remaining range of collection sites.