Inheritance of Carbon Isotope Discrimination in Bread Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.)

Summary Reliable selection of families with increased grain yield is difficult in breeding programs targeting water-limited environments. Carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) is negatively correlated with transpiration efficiency, and low Δ is being used for indirect selection of high wheat yield in rainfed environments. Yet little is known of genetic control and opportunities for improving selection efficiency of Δ in wheat. Half-diallel and generation means mating designs were undertaken to provide estimates of the size and nature of gene action for Δ in a range of wheat genotypes varying for this trait. Significant (P < 0.01) differences were observed for leaf tissue Δ among parents (19.3 to 20.7‰) and F₁ progeny (19.4 to 20.9‰) in the half-diallel. General (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects were significant (P < 0.05), while Baker's GCA/SCA variance ratio of 0.89 was close to unity, indicating largely additive gene effects. GCA effects varied from −0.38 to + 0.34‰ for low and high Δ genotypes `Quarrion' and `Gutha', respectively. GCA effects and parental means were strongly correlated (r = 0.95, P < 0.01) while directional dominance and epistasis contributed to small, non-additive gene action for Δ. Smaller Δ in F₁ progeny was associated with accumulation of recessive alleles from the low Δ parent. Narrow-sense heritability was high (0.86) on a single-plant basis. Generation means analysis was undertaken on crosses between low Δ genotype Quarrion and two higher Δ genotypes `Genaro M81' and `Hartog'. The F₁, F₂ and midparent means were not statistically (P > 0.05) different, whereas backcrossing significantly changed Δ toward the mean of the recurrent parent. Gene action was largely additive with evidence for additive × additive epistasis in one cross. Narrow-sense heritabilities were moderate in size (0.29 to 0.43) on a single-plant basis. Genetic gain for Δ in wheat should be readily achieved in selection among inbred or partially inbred families during the later stages of population development.     

Leaf Carbon Isotope Discrimination as an Accurate Indicator of Water‐Use Efficiency in Sunflower Genotypes Subjected to Five Stable Soil Water Contents

Leaf carbon isotope discrimination (CID) has been suggested as an indirect tool for breeding for water‐use efficiency (WUE) in various crops. This work focused on assessing phenotypic correlations between WUE and leaf CID and analysing genotypic variability in four sunflower genotypes grown in a greenhouse in pots with five different stable levels of soil water content (SWC). We measured WUE at whole plant and leaf (intrinsic) level. At whole plant level, WUE was derived from the ratio of total dry aerial biomass (BM) to cumulative water transpired (CWT). At leaf level, intrinsic WUE was calculated as the ratio of light‐saturated CO₂ assimilation to stomatal conductance (A/g_s) in younger expanded leaves. Significant differences among the four genotypes and the five SWCs were observed for whole plant and leaf WUE and CID. Strong negative correlations were observed between whole plant WUE and CID as well as between intrinsic WUE and CID with decreasing water availability. No relationships appeared between BM production and WUE or CID. Our results can help agronomists and breeders to evaluate sunflower lines with high WUE for adaptation to drought conditions and for reducing water consumption and crop water needs. Leaf CID appears to be a pertinent and valuable trait to select sunflower genotypes with high WUE.     

Genetic effects and genetic relationships among <Emphasis Type="Italic">shrunken</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">sh2</Emphasis>) sweet corn lines and F1 hybrids

The objectives of this study were to quantify the components of genetic variance and the genetic effects, and to examine the genetic relationship of inbred lines extracted from various shrunken2 (sh2) breeding populations. Ten diverse inbred lines developed from sh2 genetic background, were crossed in half diallel. Parents and their F1 hybrids were evaluated at three environments. The parents were genotyped using 20 polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSR). Agronomic and quality traits were analysed by a mixed linear model according to additive-dominance genetic model. Genetic effects were estimated using an adjusted unbiased prediction method. Additive variance was more important than dominance variance in the expression of traits related to ear aspects (husk ratio and percentage of ear filled) and eating quality (flavour and total soluble solids). For agronomic traits, however, dominance variance was more important than additive variance. The additive genetic correlation between flavour and tenderness was strong (r = 0.84, P < 0.01). Flavour, tenderness and kernel colour additive genetic effects were not correlated with yield related traits. Genetic distance (GD), estimated from SSR profiles on the basis of Jaccard’s similarity coefficient varied from 0.10 to 0.77 with an average of 0.56. Cluster analysis classified parents according to their pedigree relationships. In most studied traits, F1 performance was not associated with GD.     

Evaluation of genetic variances, heritabilities, and correlations for yield and fiber traits among cotton F2 hybrid populations

Summary F₂ hybrid cultivars continue to occupy a small portion of the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production are in the United States, but occupy a larger proportion of the production area in some other countries. Sixty-four F₂ hybrids resulting from crosses of four commercial cultivars and 16 pest-resistant germplasm lines were evaluated for five fiber and four yield traits in four environments at Mississippi State, MS. An additive-dominance genetic model was employed for these traits. The minimum norm quadratic unbiased estimation (MINQUE) method was used with a mixed model approach for estimating genetic variance and covariance components and for predicting genetic correlations. This study investigated genetic variances, heritabilities, and genetic and phenotypic correlations between agronomic and fiber traits among these 64 F₂ hybrid populations and discussed the usefulness of these populations for use as hybrids or for selections for pure lines.Dominance variance accounted for the major proportion of the phenotypic variances for lint yield, lint percentage, and boll size indicating that hybrids should have an advantage for these traits compared to pure lines. A low proportion of additive variance for fiber traits and the significant additive x environment variance components indicated a lack of substantial useful additive genetic variability for fiber traits. This suggests that selections for pure lines within these F₂ populations would have limited success in improving fiber traits. Genetic and phenotypic correlation coefficients were of comparable magnitude for most pairs of characters. Fiber strength showed a positive additive genetic correlation with boll weight. Dominance genetic correlations of fiber strength with elongation and 2.5% span length were also significant and positive; however, the additive genetic correlation of length and strength was zero.Contribution of the USDA-ARS in cooperation with the Mississippi Agric. and Forestry Exp. Stn.     

不同锌离子活度下水稻锌高效基因型农艺特性的遗传分析

本试验以耐低锌基因型和锌敏感基因型水稻为材料, 采用双列杂交, 选择耐低锌基因型和锌敏感基因型水稻在缺锌条件下反应差异较明显的总干重、地下部干重、地上部干重、叶龄、株高、根长等性状在不同锌离子活度下的相对值研究了水稻锌高效基因型农艺性状的遗传特性, 结果表明: 研究性状的显性方差都达显著和极显著水平, 在总方     

Heritabilities of nutritive quality factors and interrelationships with yield in selected progenies of tall fescue

Nine polycross (PX) and nine different self (S₁) progenies were randomly chosen from 43 selected tall fescue genotypes and evaluated for in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM), crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and acid detergent lignin of whole plants, leaf blades and stems (stem plus leaf sheath) at each of four harvest dates in 1991 and 1992. Significant variation for all whole‐plant and leaf quality traits occurred among the PX progenies at the May harvest. Variation among S₁ progenies was significant for almost all of the stem traits. Genetic variance components for both progeny groups were significant for almost all of the traits, confirming the presence of additive genetic variation. Heritability estimates on a progeny‐mean basis ranged from medium to high for almost all the traits of the whole‐plant and the leaf and stem fractions. The results suggest that spring would be the time at which direct selection for high IVDOM or low fibre content would be successful and that selection for leaf or stem quality traits improves whole‐plant quality. Selection for quality traits in the summer or in the autumn would be difficult since no significant genetic variability was found.     

Contrasting Water‐Use Efficiency (WUE) Responses of a Potato Mapping Population and Capability of Modified Ball‐Berry Model to Predict Stomatal Conductance and WUE Measured at Different Environmental Conditions

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are drought‐sensitive and more efficient water use, while maintaining high yields is required. Here, water‐use efficiency (WUE) of a mapping population comprising 144 clones from a cross between 90‐HAF‐01 (Solanum tuberosum₁) and 90‐HAG‐15 (S. tuberosum₂ × S. sparsipilum) was measured on well‐watered plants under controlled‐environment conditions combining three levels of each of the factors: [CO₂], temperature, light, and relative humidity in growth chambers. The clones were grouped according to their photosynthetic WUE (pWUE) and whole‐plant WUE (wpWUE) during experiments in 2010. Two offspring groups according to pWUE and wpWUE were identified on the basis of experiments conducted in 2010, which in experiments in 2011 again showed significant differences in pWUE (46 %, P < 0.001) and wpWUE (34 %, P < 0.001). The high‐WUE group had a higher net photosynthesis rate (34 %) and dry matter accumulation (55 %, P < 0.001) rather than leaf‐level transpiration rate (?4 %, no significant difference) or whole‐plant water use (16 %). The pWUE correlated negatively to the ratio between leaf‐internal and leaf‐external [CO₂] (R² = ?0.86 in 2010 and R² = ?0.83 in 2011, P < 0.001). The leaf chlorophyll content was lower in the high‐WUE group indicating that the higher net photosynthesis rate was not due to higher leaf‐N status. Less negative value of carbon isotope discrimination (δ¹³C) in the high‐WUE group was only found in 2011. A modified Ball‐Berry model was fitted to measured stomatal conductance (g_s) under the systematically varied environmental conditions to identify parameter differences between the two groups, which could explain their contrasting WUE. Compared to the low‐WUE group, the high‐WUE group showed consistently lower values of the parameter m, which is inversely related to WUE. Differences related specifically to the dependence of g_s on humidity and net photosynthesis rate were only found in 2010. The lower ratio between leaf‐internal and leaf‐external [CO₂] and higher WUE of the high‐WUE group was consistent over a wide range of air vapour pressure deficits from 0.5 to 3.5 kPa. The mapping population was normally distributed with respect to WUE suggesting a multigenic nature of this trait. The WUE groups identified can be further employed for quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis by use of gene expression studies or genome resequencing. The differences in population WUE indicate a genetic potential for improvement of this trait.     

QTL mapping of bio-energy related traits in Sorghum

Plant height (PHT), stem and leaf fresh weight (SLFW), juice weight (JW) and sugar content of stem (Brix) are important traits for biofuel production in sweet Sorghum. QTL analysis of PHT, SLFW, JW and Brix was conducted with composite interval mapping using F₂ and F_2:3 populations derived from the cross between grain Sorghum (Shihong137) × sweet Sorghum (L-Tian). Three QTLs controlling PHT were mapped on SBI-01, SBI-07 and SBI-09 under four different environments. These QTLs could explain 10.16 to 45.29% of the phenotypic variance. Two major effect QTLs on SBI-07 and SBI-09 were consistently detected under four environments. Eight QTLs controlling SLFW were mapped across three environments and accounted for 5.49–25.36% of the phenotypic variance. One major QTL on SBI-09 located between marker Sb5-206 and SbAGE03 was observed under three environments. Four QTLs controlling Brix were identified under two environments and accounted for 11.03–17.65% of the phenotypic variance. Six QTLs controlling JW were detected under two environments, and explained 6.63–23.56% of the phenotypic variance. QTLs for JW on SBI-07 and SBI-09 were consistent in two environments showing higher environmental stability. In addition, two chromosome regions on SBI-07 and SBI-09 were identified in our study having major effect on PHT, SFLW and JW. The results would be useful for the genetic improvement of sweet Sorghum to be used for biofuel production.     

Five cycles of recurrent selection for increased essential oil content in East Indian lemongrass: response to selection, and effects on heritabilities of traits and intertrait correlations

Five cycles of phenotypic recurrent selection for increased essential oil content were carried out in East Indian lemongrass, Cymbopogon flexuosus. In each cycle, the top 5% of plants for essential oil content were selected and their ramets were planted in isolated polycross blocks to produce the seed of the next cycle. Response to selection for essential oil content and its effect on three unselected traits, leaf yield, dry matter content in leaves and citral content in the essential oil, were determined by evaluating C₀‐C₅ populations in a replicated trial. Genetic variation, heritability estimates and intertrait correlations for essential oil content, leaf yield, leaf width, tiller number and citral content in the essential oil in C₄ were determined, by evaluating 40 clones and their half‐sib progenies produced from 40 randomly selected C₄ plants, in a replicated experiment. These were compared with those determined in C₀ earlier. The mean essential oil content increased from 0.66% in C₀ to 1.67% in C₅ (i.e. by about 31% per cycle over C₀). Selection for essential oil content did not affect leaf yield and its effect on dry matter content in leaves was marginal. The first three cycles of selection for essential oil content did not affect citral content in the oil but two further cycles significantly decreased citral content. Heritabilities and intertrait correlations between all traits studied, except citral content and essential oil content, were similar to those found in C₀.     

Response of a new IR50/Moroberekan recombinant inbred population of rice (Oryza sativa L.) from an indica × japonica cross for growth and yield traits under aerobic conditions

Genetic variability, correlation, path coefficient analysis and test of normality was conducted in an F₈ recombinant inbred aerobic rice population developed by single seed descent method to evaluate its potential as a mapping population. Estimates of genotypic variance, phenotypic variance, genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV), phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV), heritability in the broad sense (H) and expected genetic advance at 5% selection index (GA) for grain yield and other attributing characters were computed. In all the cases, PCV was higher than GCV indicating the influence of environment on the characters. High heritability coupled with high GA was observed for several plant traits; number of tillers, plant height, total number of spikelets panicle⁻¹, biomass plant⁻¹, straw weight, harvest index and grain yield plant⁻¹ and hence offered good scope for selection. Grain yield plant⁻¹ was found to be positively correlated with plant height, number of tillers, panicle length, panicle exsertion, number of panicles plant⁻¹, single panicle weight, test weight, number of fertile spikelets panicle⁻¹, straw weight, biomass plant⁻¹, harvest index and grain breadth both at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Harvest index exerted maximum positive direct effect, followed by biomass plant⁻¹ and straw weight on grain yield plant⁻¹ at phenotypic level. Shapiro-Wilks “W test of normality” indicated that the population was skewed towards female parent IR50 for some traits and for some others towards Moroberekan, the male parent. Most of the characters that showed skewness were platykurtic with a kurtosis value of less than 3.     

Identification of novel QTL for leaf traits in soybean

Several leaf traits of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.), including leaf area (LA), leaf shape (LS) and specific leaf weight (SLW) may be related to soybean yield. The objective of this study was to identify novel quantitative trait loci (QTL) for LA, LS and SLW in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. The phenotype data were collected in 2011 and 2012 for 93 F_7:10 RILs using a randomized complete block design with 2 replicates each year. Five hundred and sixteen single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and the phenotype data were used to detect QTL using single marker analysis (SMA) and composite interval mapping (CIM). Single markers analysis identified 26 QTL for the three traits, of which 17 were novel and the rests were previously reported QTL. Most of these QTL were also identified by CIM. Most QTL reported in this study were in close proximity (<1 cM) of one or more SNP markers. These publicly available SNP markers with close linkage to LA, LS and SLW should be useful for marker‐assisted breeding for these traits.     

不同栽培模式对旱地春玉米光合特性和水分利用率的影响

明确旱地春玉米高产与水分高效协调的栽培技术及其生理原因,对提高水分限制条件下玉米水分利用效率及玉米可持续生产具有重要意义。本文以郑单958为材料,于2010年和2011年在陕西长武进行大田试验,设置当地农户栽培(对照)、高产高效栽培、超高产栽培和再高产高效栽培等4种栽培模式,比较了其对春玉米光合特性和水分利用效率的影响。结果表明,当地农户栽培、高产高效栽培、超高产栽培和再高产高效栽培产量平均达7.7、9.2、11.7和10.6 t hm^-2,高产模式较对照产量分别提高20.1%、52.9%和37.7%,水分利用效率分别提高27.8%、60.9%和45.1%。与当地农户栽培相比,高产高效栽培、超高产栽培和再高产高效栽培提高了花后叶片净光合速率(P_n)、蒸腾速率(T_r)和单叶水分利用效率(WUE_L);相对电子传递速率(ETR)、PSII实际量子产额(Φ_PSII)和光化学猝灭(q_P);延缓了叶片衰老;花后干物质积累量分别增加29.0%、82.3%和56.1%。结果说明通过地膜覆盖、增加密度和氮肥运筹等关键栽培技术的集成与优化,可实现旱地春玉米高产与水分高效30%以上的目标;其增产增效的主要原因在于显著增强玉米花后叶片光捕获能力与光化学效率,延缓叶片早衰,促进花后干物质积累及其对籽粒的贡献率。     

Relationships between water-use traits and photosynthesis in Brassica oleracea resolved by quantitative genetic analysis

The genetic control of water‐use and photosynthetic traits in Brassica oleracea is resolved by genetic analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL). Variations in leaf conductance, photosynthetic assimilation rate, leaf thickness and leaf nitrogen content were assessed in a segregating population of F₁‐derived doubled haploid (DH) B. oleracea lines. In addition, stable carbon isotope ratios in leaf organic material were used as a surrogate measure of plant water‐use efficiency. Analysis of an existing linkage map for the population revealed significant QTL on seven linkage groups. Single significant QTL explained between 3.4% and 36.6% of the phenotypic variance in each of the traits measured. The locations of QTL for several traits were found to coincide in a physiologically meaningful way; stable carbon isotope discrimination had QTL co‐locating with leaf level water‐use efficiency, photosynthetic capacity with leaf thickness and nitrogen content and stomatal density with leaf thickness. Taken together, these results suggest that single genes or clusters of genes at these loci may have an influence on the expression of physiologically related traits controlling water‐use and photosynthesis.     

Inheritance of drought resistance related traits in two crosses of groundnut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Arachis hypogaea</Emphasis> L.)

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oilseed crop grown in more than 100 countries across wide range of environments. Frequent occurrence of drought is one of the limiting factors adversely affecting groundnut productivity, especially in rainfed areas, and hence genotypes having high water use efficiency (WUE) under limited available water need to be developed. In groundnut, WUE is correlated with SPAD chlorophyll meter reading (SCMR) and specific leaf area (SLA). These two traits, SCMR and SLA, can be used as surrogate traits for selecting for WUE. In order to improve SCMR and SLA, and in turn WUE in groundnut, a good knowledge of the genetic system controlling the expressions of these traits is essential for the selection of the most appropriate and efficient breeding procedure. The present investigation was conducted to determine the gene action controlling the inheritance of SCMR and SLA in two crosses, ICG 7243 × ICG 9418 and ICG 6766 × Chico, and their reciprocals. Six generations of each cross (P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, BC₁P₁, and BC₁P₂) were evaluated for SCMR and SLA at two stages of the crop growth viz., 60 and 80 days after sowing (DAS). For SCMR at 80 DAS, additive effects were important in both the crosses whereas predominance of dominance effects with duplicate epistasis was observed for SCMR at 60 DAS and SLA at both stages in both the crosses. Predominance of additive effect for SCMR at 80 DAS suggested effective selection could be practiced even in early generations whereas for SCMR at 60 DAS and SLA at both stages in both crosses, it would be better to defer selection to later generations. Further, recording of SCMR and SLA should be done between 60 and 80 DAS for screening the germplasm lines for drought tolerance.     

Population genetics of self-incompatibility and developing self-compatible genotypes in niger (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Guizotia abyssinica</Emphasis>)

Two cucumber recombinant inbred lines (RILs) differing in plant habit were crossed and progeny self-pollinated to produce F₃ individuals upon which phenotypic selection was practiced to identify a base population which in turn underwent either two cycles of MAS or random mating without selection (RAN). MAS and RAN were practiced to produce F₄ and F₅ progeny sets. RIL, crossing parents, and F₃–F₅ progeny sets were then evaluated under replicated field conditions for fruit yield and quality (L:D and E:T) to evaluate gain from selection (ΔG). The broad-sense heritability (h ² B) over cycles (C) of selection ranged 0.22–0.45, 0.09–0.20, and 0.11–0.15 for yield, L:D, and E:T, respectively. Although one cycle of PHE selection followed by MAS was effective in conserving the performance of the traits examined during inbreeding, progeny performance during RAN fluctuated (F₄–F₅ generation; C₂). Lack of ΔG during advanced generations (F₄–F₅) of MAS was likely due to allelic fixation and/or optimized epistatic complementation.     

Genetic association of within‐boll yield components and boll morphological traits with fibre properties in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Knowledge of genetic relationships between within‐boll yield components and fibre quality is essential for simultaneous improvement of lint yield and fibre quality in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Nine parents and their F₁ progeny with reciprocals from a 3 × 6 factorial mating design were grown in 2008 and 2009. Seven within‐boll yield components and two boll morphological traits and the three fibre quality parameters were analysed based on a conditional additive/dominance (AD) genetic model. Results showed that boll length contributed to the largest proportion of phenotypic, additive and dominance variances for UHM length; seed index contributed to the largest proportion of phenotypic and additive variances for fibre strength; boll width made the largest contribution to phenotypic and additive variances and the second largest contribution to dominance‐by‐environment interaction variance for micronaire, indicating that they played an important role than the other traits for fibre length, strength and fineness/maturity, respectively. It is worthy of note that those correlations between boll shape and fibre quality apply only to the nine parents and the resultant hybrids in this study and do not imply a cause and effect relationship.     

Estimates of genotypic and yearly variations on fruit quality and functional traits for tetraploid table grape breeding

We estimated genetic and environmental variance components for fruit quality traits (cluster weight, berry weight, soluble solids content, total sugar content, sugar composition, free acid content, total amino acid content, amino acid composition), and a functional trait (gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content) of three commercial tetraploid table grape cultivars (Kyoho, Pione, Suiho) grown in Japan over three successive years. ANOVA showed that the effect of genotype was significant (P < 0.05) for all traits except soluble solids content and total sugar content. The effect of the year was significant for all traits except amino acid composition (γ ratio) and GABA content. The variance of genotype (σ _g ²) was highest for γ ratio (63.6%), high in sugar composition (α ratio, 60.3%) and GABA content (58.8%), and negligible for soluble solids content (0.0%) and total sugar content (0.0%). The variance of among years (σ _y ²) was very high in soluble solids content (82.8%), high in total sugar content (60.2%) and negligibly small in γ ratio (8.7%) and GABA content (6.4%). Some effects of genotype × year interaction, among vines within genotypes, and vine × year interaction were statistically significant, but these components were negligibly small. Except for soluble solids content and total sugar content, significant varietal differences in the traits were recorded. Variance estimates for each trait provides useful information for optimal yearly repetition to effectively discriminate genetic differences in fruit quality and functional traits for improving future tetraploid table grape breeding programs.     

利用“永久F2”群体进行小麦幼苗根系性状QTL分析

为了研究小麦苗期根系性状的遗传,以小麦品种花培3号和豫麦57的杂交DH群体组配了一套含168个杂交组合的“永久F₂”群体。利用WinRHIZO根系分析系统测定四叶一心期小麦水培幼苗根系总长度、直径、表面积、体积、根尖数、最大根长、茎叶干重、根干重及根茎干重比9个性状。采用复合区间作图法分析幼苗根系8个性状的QTL,定位了7个加性效应QTL和12对上位性互作QTL,包括加性效应、显性效应,加加互作、加显互作和显显互作,分布在1A、1D、2A、2B、2D、3A、3B、5D、6D和7D染色体上,单个QTL可解释0.01%~11.91%的遗传变异。在染色体2D上XWMC41至XBARC349.2区间检测到同时控制总根长和根干重的一个QTL。上位性对苗期根系生长发育有重要作用。试验结果表明,苗期根系性状的遗传机制较复杂, 因此在育种中要综合考虑根系各性状之间的关系,保证根系协调统一、发达健壮。     

Variation and covariation of silage maize digestibility estimated from digestion trials with sheep

Summary Variation and covariation for agronomic and digestibility traits of silage maize are reported from a compilation of 22 years of experiments with standard sheep. Genotype effects of DOM and DCF were highly significant, even when genotypes were nested in earliness groups or brown-midrib hybrids discarded (Table 2). The genetic variance of crude fiber content was low, but the variance of the DCF was high. The genetic variance of DOM was about 4 times lower than genetic variance of DCF, but broad sense heritability of DOM was higher because of lower residual variance (Table 3). Genetic correlations between grain or crude fiber content and DOM had similar absolute values, 0.65, so each of these two traits was an important but not the unique determinant of silage maize quality. There was no correlation between DCF and grain or crude fiber content. Yield was not related to DOM or DCF within each group of earliness, allowing some quality improvement without agronomic drift (Table 4). Except for late hybrids, most of DOM differences between groups of earliness came from lowering of minimum value, while maximum values were similar. It was the contrary for DCF, with similar minimum values for all groups (Table 5). There was no obvious correlation between year of registration of hybrids and DOM or DCF, but extra new variation seemed obtained only for low values (Figs 1, 2; Table 6). IVDOM according to the APC process was a poor predictor of DOM, especially when brown-midrib hybrids and earliness effects were discarded; but because heritability of this trait was similar to DOM heritability, such enzymatic processes could probably be used to avoid drift towards poor DOM with hybrids bred for higher stalk strength.Abbreviations APC Amylase Pepsine Cellulase solubility - DDM sheep digestibility of dry matter - DOM sheep digestibility of organic matter - DCF sheep digestibility of crude fiber - DM dry matter - IVDCW in vitro digestibility of cell wall - IVDDM in vitro digestibility of dry matter - IVDOM in vitro digestibility of organic matter - NIRS near infra-red reflectance spectroscopy - NDF neutral detergent fiber - bm₁-brown-midrib-1 allele, bm₃-brown midrib-3 allele     

Drought Tolerance and Water‐Use Efficiency of Biogas Crops: A Comparison of Cup Plant,Maize and Lucerne‐Grass

The cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) is discussed as an alternative energy crop for biogas production in Germany due to its ecological benefits over continuously grown maize. Moreover, a certain drought tolerance is assumed because of its intensive root growth and the dew water collection by the leaf cups, formed by fused leaf pairs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate evapotranspiration (ET ), water‐use efficiency (WUE ) and the relevance of the leaf cups for the cup plant's water balance in a 2‐year field experiment. Parallel investigations were conducted for the two reference crops maize (high WUE ) and lucerne‐grass (deep and intensive rooting) under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Root system performance was assessed by measuring water depletion at various soil depths. Transpiration‐use efficiency (TUE ) was estimated using a model approach. Averaged over the 2 years, drought‐related above‐ground dry matter reduction was higher for the cup plant (33 %) than for the maize (18 %) and lucerne‐grass (14 %). The WUE of the cup plant (33 kg ha^?1 mm^?1) was significantly lower than for maize (50 kg ha^?1 mm^?1). The cup plant had a lower water uptake capacity than lucerne‐grass. Cup plant dry matter yields as high as those of maize will only be attainable at sites that are well supplied with water, be it through a large soil water reserve, groundwater connection, high rainfall or supplemental irrigation.