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Induced Mutants in ‘Floratam’ St. Augustinegrass 1
Author(s) -
Powell J. B.,
Toler R. W.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1980.0011183x002000050025x
Subject(s) - stolon , biology , mutation breeding , mutant , propagule , panicum , breeding program , agronomy , plant breeding , horticulture , botany , plant disease resistance , cultivar , gene , genetics
The breeding improvement of St. Augustinegrass [ Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Ktze.] is slowed by poor seed set, weak seedlings, and triploidy. New methods are sought to improve disease resistance and winterhardiness for cultivation of this warm‐season grass at the northern limits of the warm‐season growing areas of the United States. Mutation induction with gamma ray treatments of vegetatively propagated parental material offers a possibility of improvement. Stolons of ‘Floratam’ St. Augustinegrass were irradiated with various dosages of 4.5–7.0 Krads. Emerging single‐plant propagules were separated from the parental vegetative bud material. Propagules set into the field were evaluated for mutation induction. The 14 mutants ranged from dwarfs to very fine leaf types. Color changes were also noted in the mutants. Genes already present in ‘Floratam’ for resistance to the St. Augustine Decline Strain of Panicum Mosaic Virus were not modified in the mutants. Developing improved cultivate with mutation breeding procedures could be a major step forward in breeding this species.