Evaluation of some alkali sacaton ecotypes collected in Mexico
1990
Cox, J.R. | Dobrenz, A.K. | McGuire, B.
Nine-week old seedlings of 13 alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides) ecotypes collected in Mexico were transplanted and irrigated in Summer 1980. Seed from these plantings were collected in Fall 1982, germinated under simulated spring-fall (cool) and summer (warm) temperatures, and forage was harvested in Fall (1983) and spring (1985). Spring regrowth forage production among the 13 ecotypes ranged from 28 to 145 g/plant and total seed production ranged from 0.3 to 3.4 g/plant. Transpiration was significantly different among the ecotypes and average stomate density on the abaxial leaf surface varied from 101 to 174 mm2. No single ecotype or group of ecotypes exhibited superior traits across all measured criteria. Ecotypes which produced more total seed did not display the highest large-seed germination and ecotypes which had the highest forage production did not have good germination or drought tolerance. Transpiration was not lower on ecotypes with lower stomate density. It was concluded that ecotype selection should be based on a single rather than multiple selection criteria.
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