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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #61134
Title: TWO CYCLES OF DIVERGENT SELECTION FOR ROOT ARCHITECTURE IN ALFALFA

Author
item Lamb, Joann
item Barnes, Donald
item HENJUM, KEITH - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Submitted to: Alfalfa Improvement Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/18/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Four experimental alfalfa germplasm sources were evaluated after two cycles of divergent selection for root architecture. MN NDRN and MN FLEM were selected for few vs. many secondary roots. MN NCPL and MN MWNC underwent two cycles of selection for few vs. many fibrous roots and one cycle of selection for few vs. many secondary roots. Experimental design was eight replications of a randomized complete block with a split plot arrangement of treatments. Fertilizer rates (0 and 200 kg N ha-1) as whole plots and alfalfa populations subplots were established twice at each of two locations. One experiment at each location was dug in October 1994 and evaluated for taproot diameter (measured in mm), number of secondary roots (scored, 1= few, 5= many), and amount of fibrous roots (scored, 1= few, 5=many). The study will be completed in 1995. Preliminary results indicate that divergent selection for root morphological traits in all four germplasm sources produced populations that were significantly different i root architecture.