Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Boise, Idaho » Northwest Watershed Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #358180
Title: Hydrothermal germination response and environmental variability: Opportunities for genomic investigation of alternative germination syndromes

Author
item Hardegree, Stuart
item Richards, Christopher
item Walters, Christina
item Jones, Thomas
item Sheley, Roger

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/2018
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Wildland seed populations exhibit hydrothermal germination characteristics that can be associated with habitat-specific germination syndromes. Alternative syndromes can be associated with differences in either the population mean, or population variability in relative germination rate as a function of temperature and water potential. These germination traits can be characterized by hydrothermal germination model coefficients, but these metrics do not adequately capture important features of germination response to seedbed conditions in the field. We describe the methodology for characterizing field-variable germination response of some important perennial grass species, and suggest a general approach to the identification of traits that might be suitable for genomic investigation and breeding for superior establishment response in the field.