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Title: Root phenotyping of new oilseed crop lesquerella germplasm

Author
item CRUZ,, VON MARK - Colorado State University
item Comas, Louise
item WANG, GUANGYAO - University Of California
item Dierig, David

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/5/2013
Publication Date: 10/2/2013
Citation: Cruz, V.V., Comas, L.H., Wang, G., Dierig, D.A. 2013. Root phenotyping of new oilseed crop lesquerella germplasm. Meeting Abstract. Associations for the Advancement of Industrial Crops Washington, DC, Oct 12-17, 2013.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The utility of germplasm collections rely on the availability of associated characterization and evaluation data for researchers and germplasm users. The information enables users to select accessions with characters of interest thereby saving time and resources. Most germplasm collections in the US National Plant Germplasm System have been characterized and the phenotype data made available through the GRIN database. These data consist mostly of measurements on above ground traits with the exception of germplasm whose primary plant part of interest are roots, bulbs, and tubers. An increasing volume of publications point to roots as the next frontier in plant science since improvements in above ground parts seem to have plateaued. Several genebanks have ongoing research on root characterization to anticipate the need for additional information on their conserved materials, or directly assist in research and crop improvement programs. At the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources Preservation, initial efforts on root characterization focus on lesquerella (Physaria) germplasm. Here we report the results of preliminary root phenotyping activities using root growth pouches on eighteen accessions and field established plants of two accessions (WCL-LO4 and PI 596434) grown in Maricopa, AZ. Lesquerella plants in the growth pouches were kept for 21 days under two temperature regimens (21/13oC and 30/21oC) and the roots analyzed for nine root parameters. Plants in the field were sampled at the crop’s vegetative, flowering, and pod maturity stages during the growing season (25DAE, 84DAE, 114DAE, 137DAE, 180DAE) and root measurements taken from soil core samples and whole washed root systems. Comparisons between results from the pouches and the vegetative stages were made and the root development in the species documented. Succeeding work on root screening in lesquerella germplasm will be discussed including root characterization of other new crop oilseed collections as part of routine genebank operations.