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Research Project: Sustaining Southern Plains Landscapes through Plant Genetics and Sound Forage-Livestock Production Systems

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Title: Recurrent selection for improved seed germination results in greater seedling growth potential

Author
item DHAKAL, KUNDAN - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item Springer, Timothy

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/20/2020
Publication Date: 4/24/2020
Citation: Dhakal, K., Springer, T.L. 2020. Recurrent selection for improved seed germination results in greater seedling growth potential. Crop Science. 60(4):2180-2185. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20182.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20182

Interpretive Summary: Scientists at the USDA-ARS’s Southern Plains Range Research Station (SPRRS) in Woodward, Oklahoma, evaluated the variation of root and shoot development among three little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash parental lines and their three generations of selection. Selection for increased seed germination of little bluestem in simulated dry conditions resulted in little bluestem populations with longer roots, taller shoots, and greater root and shoot biomass. Seedling root and shoot lengths increased for every selection generation. Such plant materials have the potential to be developed into superior cultivars useful for biomass production, livestock grazing, and/or conservation planting.

Technical Abstract: Plant materials with rapid root and shoot development will lead to better performance and persistence during drought stress periods. This research investigated the root and shoot development of three populations (NU-2, UC-2, and UO-2) of little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash, and three selection generations (Syn-0, Syn-1, and Syn-2). Populations NU-1 Syn-1 and NU-1 Syn-2 were developed from population NU-0 Syn-0 using two cycles of recurrent selection for increased seed germination at a low water potential. Similarly, populations UC-2 Syn-1 and UC-2 Syn-2 were developed from population UC-0 Syn-0, and populations UO-2 Syn-1 and UO-2 Syn-2 were developed from population UO-2 Syn-0. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to compare the root and shoot development of the nine populations of little bluestem. The experimental design was a factorial arrangement of treatments (three populations, three selection generations, and four sampling dates), in a randomized block design with nine blocks. The experiment was repeated twice. The results showed that two cycles of recurrent selection for improved seed germination resulted in populations of little bluestem with longer roots, taller shoots, and greater root and shoot dry weights, with the second cycle of selection yielding more rapid seedling growth compared to the previous generations. Thus, two cycles of recurrent selection for increased seed germination at a negative water potential resulted in little bluestem seedlings with superior root and shoot development. The selection pressure for increased seed germination at low water potentials could be used to develop superior cultivars useful for biomass production, conservation plantings, livestock grazing, and wildlife conservation.