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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Wheat, Sorghum and Forage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #323920
Title: Registration of NE Trailblazer C-1, NE Trailblazer C0, NE Trailblazer C2, NE Trailblazer C3, NE Trailblazer C4, and NE Trailblazer C5 Switchgrass Germplasms

Author
item VOGEL, KENNETH - Retired ARS Employee
item Mitchell, Robert - Rob
item Sarath, Gautam

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Registrations
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/19/2016
Publication Date: 4/15/2016
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5508060
Citation: Vogel, K., Mitchell, R., Sarath, G. 2016. Registration of NE Trailblazer C-1, NE Trailblazer C0, NE Trailblazer C2, NE Trailblazer C3, NE Trailblazer C4, and NE Trailblazer C5 Switchgrass Germplasms. Journal of Plant Registrations. 10(2):159-165 doi:10.3198/jpr2015.11.0070crg..

Interpretive Summary: NE Trailblazer C-1, NE Trailblazer C0, NE Trailblazer C2, NE Trailblazer C3, NE Trailblazer C4, and NE Trailblazer C5 are upland switchgrass populations that were developed for high or low in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) in six generations of divergent breeding. The six breeding generations and associated research were initiated in 1973 and continued for over four decades. As a result of the multi-generations of recurrent breeding, the six populations differ significantly for IVDMD and for 25 other biomass traits including lignin, plant anatomical structure and potential ethanol yield in a biorefinery. There are also differences among the populations for winter survival. The NE Trailblazer populations should be very useful in future studies on the genetic mechanisms of biomass composition of switchgrass and other grasses. The germplasms should also be useful in determining how modifications of plant cell wall composition affect winter survival.

Technical Abstract: NE Trailblazer C-1 (GP-101, PI 672015), NE Trailblazer C0 (GP-100, PI 672014), NE Trailblazer C2 (GP-102, PI 672016), NE Trailblazer C3 (GP-103, PI 672017), NE Trailblazer C4 (GP-104, PI 672018), and NE Trailblazer C5 (GP-105, PI 672019) switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) germplasms were released by the USDA-ARS and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on 10 Sept. 2014. These germplasms were developed by six generations of divergent breeding for in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD). As a result of the multigenerations of recurrent breeding, the resulting populations differ significantly for IVDMD and for 25 other forage quality or biomass composition traits, including both acid detergent and Klason lignin. Plants in the high IVDMD populations also had altered anatomical structure. The lignin concentration of the stems was altered more than that of the leaves. The germplasm populations also differ significantly for winter survival. Altering plant composition by selection for IVDMD adversely affected the winter survival fitness of the resulting populations by unknown mechanisms. Plants from these germplasms can be used in genetics studies for determining the inheritance of multiple biomass composition traits and for identifying genes controlling specific biomass composition properties and winter survival of switchgrass and other perennial grasses.