Characterizing genetically diverse blue grama [Bouteloua gracilis (Willd. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths] seed sources

摘要

The need for regionally adapted native grass seed sources for the northern Great Plains has resulted in the commercial release of a range of plant materials, including ecovars (TM)(1). Ecovars (TM) are multisite composite populations developed to combine broad genetic diversity from a geographic region. The objective of this study was to determine whether morphological data could be used to distinguish between genetically diverse blue grama [Bouteloua gracilis (Willd. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths] seed sources through classical statistical methods. Entries included a Manitoba (MB) ecovar (TM), a USDA-NRCS released cultivar 'Bad River', and ecotypes from Wyoming and Minnesota. Vegetative and reproductive measurements and ratings were taken from a spaced-plant nursery during 2000-2001 in Carman, Manitoba, Canada. The results were analyzed using statistical techniques including: ANOVA, least significant difference, canonical discriminant analysis (CDA), and coefficients of variation. These techniques distinguished four genetically diverse seed sources from each other through CDA. As hypothesized, there was greater within-population genetic diversity for the MB ecovar (TM) and Wyoming and Minnesota ecotypes, compared with 'Bad River'. Our results indicate that genetically diverse blue grama seed sources can be distinguished, based on phenotypic measurements.