ARS | Publication request: Registration of Colony Switchgrass

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Registrations
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: February 12, 2010
Publication Date: September 20, 2010
Citation: Burns, J.C., Godshalk, E., Timothy, D.H. 2010. Registration of Colony Switchgrass. Journal of Plant Registrations. 4:189-194.

Interpretive Summary: Colony switchgrass was released cooperatively by the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, North Carolina State University and the USDA, Agricultural Research Service. Seed of Colony has been deposited in the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation (NCGRP, USDA-ARS). U.S. Plant Variety Protection will not be sought for Colony switchgrass. Ernst Conservation Seeds, Meadville, PA, has been granted exclusive rights, with sublicensed rights to produce and market Colony switchgrass through contractual agreement with the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service. The generally greater biomass yield of Colony switchgrass in a one-cut system, compared with Alamo and Kanlow, and with increased NDF concentrations with improved cellulose composition compared with Alamo, BoMaster, Performer and Cave-in-Rock (CIR) makes Colony a potential perennial grass choice for the biofuel industry. Colony, however, is generally inferior to the other lowland cultivars evaluated as a feed for ruminants. This is especially true at the more mature growth stages.

Technical Abstract: Colony (Reg. No. __________, PI 658520) is a lowland cytotype of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) developed and released by the USDA-ARS and North Carolina Agricultural Research Service. Colony was developed from three cycles of selection with random cross pollination occurring in cycle 0, index selection for forage dry matter yield (DM), in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD) and crude protein concentrations in open pollinated isolation in cycles one and two. Replicated yield trials and associated nutritive value were conducted in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain soils of North Carolina for 5 yr and 3 yr, respectively. The quality of Colony hay was evaluated in replicated animal trials. Colony was released because of its greater dry matter concentration of cellulose and greater cellulose yield per hectare with potential for biomass purposes.