ARS | Publication request: REGISTRATION OF WS4U AND WS8U SWITCHGRASS GERMPLASM

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 30, 2005
Publication Date: August 15, 2006
Citation: Casler, M.D., Vogel, K.P., Beal, A.C. 2006. Registration of WS4U and WS8U switchgrass germplasms. Crop Science. 46:998-999.

Interpretive Summary: This paper reports the development of two new switchgrass gene pools that have been released to the public. They represent tetraploid (four sets of chromosomes) or octoploid (eight sets of chromosomes) plants from a wide range of locations within USDA hardiness zones 3 and 4 (from South Dakota and Nebraska east to Indiana and Michigan). This paper provides pedigree information for each gene pool and an address to which seed requests can be sent. A small seed sample is available to anyone without restriction. These gene pools will be of interest to agronomists, plant breeders, germplasm researchers, and restoration biologists.

Technical Abstract: Two upland switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) germplasm pools have been released from the University of Wisconsin; University of Nebraska; and the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. These germplasms were developed as source material to be used in developing cultivars with increased biomass yield and geographic adaptation for bioenergy production in USDA hardiness zones 3 and 4 in the northern USA and similar geographic regions of southern Canada. Seeds of these two germplasms have been deposited in the National Plant Germplasm System. Seed samples (~1000 seeds) of each germplasm will be distributed upon written or email request to M.D. Casler, USDA-ARS, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, WI 53706-1108 (mdcasler@wisc.edu).