220-10 Lessons Learned In Six Generations of Divergent Breeding for IVDMD In Switchgrass.

See more from this Division: C01 Crop Breeding & Genetics
See more from this Session: Crop Breeding and Genetics: Maize and Perennial Grasses
Tuesday, October 18, 2011: 3:35 PM
Henry Gonzalez Convention Center, Room 206B
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Kenneth P. Vogel1, Robert Mitchell2 and Gautam Sarath2, (1)Grain, Forage, and Bioenergy Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Lincoln, NE
(2)Grain, Forage, and Bioenergy Research Unit, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Lincoln, NE

Six generations or cycles of divergent breeding for decreased or increased in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) has been conducted in the �Trailblazer' base population.� In the breeding population, selection was initially only for low (C-1) or high IVDMD (cycles 1, 2, and 3).� In cycles 4 and 5, winter survival was included as selection criteria along with IVDMD. The first cycle of selection for high IVDMD resulted in the development and release of the cultivar �Trailblazer'.� Its improved IVDMD resulted in improved animal gains and beef production per hectare.� After 3 cycles of selection only for high IVDMD, winter survival was adversely affected.� In populations where high yield was included as selection criteria along with high IVDMD, the adverse effect on winter survival has not developed.� Divergent breeding for IVDMD resulted in significant changes in biomass yield, lignin concentration, lignin composition, and plant anatomy in addition to changes in IVDMD .� Switchgrass plants with improved IVDMD also had improved potential ethanol yields when evaluated in a saccrification and fermentation conversion process.� The use of IVDMD as a selection criterion in recurrent generations of breeding resulted in multiple changes in switchgrass plants.�

See more from this Division: C01 Crop Breeding & Genetics
See more from this Session: Crop Breeding and Genetics: Maize and Perennial Grasses