ARS | Publication request: EVALUATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS GENETIC RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: October 1, 2003
Publication Date: November 2, 2003
Citation: JOHNSON, R.C., JOHNSTON, W.J., GOLOB, C.T., BERTOLI, F.B., NELSON, M.C., KISHA, T.J. EVALUATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS GENETIC RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION. ASA-CSSA-SSSA ANNUAL MEETING ABSTRACTS. 2003. p. 916495.

Technical Abstract: Field burning to remove post-harvest residue has traditionally been used to stimulate Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) seed production but air quality issues are making this practice unsustainable. Our objective is to enhance germplasm from the USDA Kentucky bluegrass (KBG) for improved seed production under non-burn management. First, the existing KBG collection of about 250 accessions was evaluated for seed production and other factors and a core collection developed. The 20 core collection accessions and 25 other accessions selected for potentially high seed production and turf quality factors were grown in residue retained, removed, and burned management systems. Accessions with high seed production potential under the residue-removed systems were found. These and other accessions are being analyzed for within accession and among variation using molecular markers and agronomic descriptors. Selections for individual yield components will be made and selection response studies completed to understand yield and turf relations. The work is expected to provide germplasm with acceptable turf quality and higher yield under no-burn management.