Effects of Water Availability on Two Cytotypes of Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), a Potential Biofuel Crop
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Authors
Matthews-Pennanen, Neil
Issue Date
2010
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a perennial grass that has a wide
distribution across many regions and ecosystems in North America; it has great
potential as a biofuel crop because of its genetic variation and potential to grow well
on marginal land. Varied populations, or cultivars, of switchgrass have been
developed across the eastern United States; these cultivars differ in potential as
biofuel crops. Two ecotypes of switchgrass - upland, which grows in drier areas, and
lowland, which grows in wetter areas correspond to the two cytotypes - octoploid,
(8N, upland) and tetraploid (4N, lowland) - used in this study. In this study we
examined effects of simulated drought and different degrees of water availability on
cultivars yarying in ploidy-level (or ecotype) and site of origin to find a cultivar
suitable for growth on marginal land. We simulated a drought to which we subjected
seedlings from each cultivar for 58 days and periodically evaluated individual plant
vitality using a qualitative scale of wilt progression. In a parallel experiment, we
planted seeds from each cultivar in a field setting and subjected them to three
treatments: ambient conditions, water addition throughout the summer, and water
addition for two weeks followed by ambient conditions. The simulated drought
resulted in all plants wilting after 58 days, which did not indicate which cultivar was
most drought-tolerant. The Alamo cultivar performed best under high water
availability and no other cultivars were noticeably affected by different treatment
conditions. All of the cultivars exhibited drought tolerance meaning they can
potentially produce well in marginal conditions, but none of them did conspicuously
better than the others.
Description
v, 31 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo College
License
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