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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #305490
Title: Registration of 'Centennial' Sand Bluestem

Author
item Springer, Timothy
item WYNIA, R - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA)
item REA, G - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA)

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Registrations
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/23/2014
Publication Date: 8/25/2014
Citation: Springer, T.L., Wynia, R.L., Rea, G.L. 2014. Registration of 'Centennial' Sand Bluestem. Journal of Plant Registrations. 8:248-252.

Interpretive Summary: Centennial sand bluestem was cooperatively released by the Agricultural Research Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service of USDA on 21 Oct. 2013 to provide forage for pasture, hay, or complementary rangeland-forage production systems, and to stabilize soils by reclaiming marginal croplands in the central and southern Great Plains of the United States. The superior characteristics of Centennial are greater seed germination and seedling establishment under field conditions. Centennial was tested under the experimental designation of ‘AB-Medium Syn-2’. Germination of seeds of Centennial was 16.3% higher than for those of Chet sand bluestem in a low water potential and 12.8% higher than Chet in deionized water. Seeds from Centennial had significantly greater field emergence (62.7 %) than Chet sand bluestem (54.6 %). Thus, field emergence of sand bluestem was increased by recurrent selection for increased seed germination at a low water potential.

Technical Abstract: ‘Centennial’ sand bluestem (PI 670042, Andropogon hallii Hack.) is a synthetic variety selected for greater percentage seed germination and percentage seedling establishment under field conditions. Centennial was tested under the experimental designation of ‘AB-Medium Syn-2’. Two cycles of recurrent selection were used to develop population ‘AB-medium Syn-2’ from ‘Chet’ sand bluestem (‘AB-medium Syn-0). Cycle 1 consisted of germinating 3,500 open-pollinated seeds of population AB-medium Syn-0 in a –0.8 MPa D-mannitol solution for 7-d. All germinated seeds (approximately 250) were selected to create population AB-medium Syn-1. Cycle 2 selection was similar to Cycle 1 except that population AB-medium Syn-1 was used to create population AB-medium Syn-2. Germination of seeds of Centennial was 16.3% higher than for those of Chet in a water potential of –0.8 MPa and 12.8% higher than Chet in deionized water. Seeds from Centennial had significantly greater field emergence (62.7 %) than either the AB-medium Syn-1 (59.6 %) or Chet sand bluestem (54.6 %). Thus, percentage field emergence of sand bluestem was increased by recurrent selection for increased seed germination at a low water potential. Centennial sand bluestem was cooperatively released by the Agricultural Research Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service of USDA to provide forage for pasture, hay, or complementary rangeland-forage production systems, and to stabilize soils by reclaiming marginal croplands in the central and southern Great Plains of the United States.