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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #144595
Title: ARS-NLT-SALT AND ARS-NLT-SALT/B SALINE TOLERANT NARROW LEAF TREFOIL GERMPLASM

Author
item Steiner, Jeffrey
item Banuelos, Gary

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/2/2002
Publication Date: 10/31/2003
Citation: STEINER, J.J., BANUELOS, G.S. ARS-NLT-SALT AND ARS-NLT-SALT/B SALINE TOLERANT NARROW LEAF TREFOIL GERMPLASM. CROP SCIENCE. 2003. v.43(6).p. 1888-1889.

Interpretive Summary: ARS-NLT-SALT and ARS-NLT-SALT/B are narrow leaf trefoil germplasm that are tolerant of saline germination conditions. These materials were developed for their ability to take up take up heavy metals such as selenium and be useful for their crop rotation value as legumes in saline soil reclamation. ARS-NLT-SALT germinated 74% in fresh water and 39% in saline water. ARS-NLT-SALT/B germinated 77% in fresh water and 37% in saline water with added boron. When seeds of the base population narrowleaf trefoil germplasm called ARS-1207 were germinated in saline and saline plus boron solutions, germination was only 11 and 16%, respectively. There are no other saline condition tolerant narrowleaf trefoil germplasm or named cultivars available for breeding and experimental purposes.

Technical Abstract: ARS-NLT-SALT and ARS-NLT-SALT/B are narrow leaf trefoil germplasm that are tolerant of saline germination conditions that were developed from the broad based narrow leaf trefoil germplasm ARS-1207 using two cycles of saline condition selection during seed germination. ARS-NLT-SALT was developed using 10 dS m-1 and 20 dS m-1 saline solutions made from a stock solution of 446 mM CaCl2 (dihydrate), 1.3 M NaCl2, and 30 mM Na2SO4 (anhydrous) for the first and second selection cycles, respectively. ARS-NLT-SALT/B was developed as above, except 10 mg L-1 B was added to 10 and 15 dS m-1 saline solutions in the first and second selection cycles, respectively. Seeds were harvested en mass from isolated increases, tested for saline and fresh water germination percentages, and the results compared with those for the base ARS-1207 population. The merits of ARS-NLT-Salt and ARS-NLT-Salt/B are their saline condition tolerance and broad genetic base that have been compiled into single sources. These enhanced germplasm materials will allow plant breeders to select for site-specific conditions utilizing the diversity of the USDA National Plant Germplasm System narrow leaf trefoil collection.