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Evaluating a Germplasm Collection of the Cover Crop Hairy Vetch for Use in Sustainable Farming Systems
Author(s) -
Maul Jude,
Mirsky Steven,
Emche Sarah,
Devine Thomas
Publication year - 2011
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/cropsci2010.09.0561
Subject(s) - germplasm , biology , vicia villosa , genetic diversity , crop , agriculture , agronomy , cultivar , ecotype , selection (genetic algorithm) , cover crop , microbiology and biotechnology , agroforestry , botany , ecology , population , demography , artificial intelligence , sociology , computer science
Understanding the association between genotype and agronomically important phenotypes (early flowering, hard seed, and winter hardiness) will facilitate cultivar selection and inform breeding programs concerned with the cover crop hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa Roth). We used molecular, observational, and biochemical techniques to identify and evaluate 64 accessions of hairy vetch that originated throughout the world and comprise the USDA National Plant Germplasm System. Time to flowering, percent C, and percent N were measured on plants of each accession grown in the field at Beltsville, MD. Amplified fragment length polymorphisms were assayed on each accession. We related parameters of genetic, phenotypic, and biochemical diversity to the geographical origins of the accessions. Country of origin explained little of the marker genetic diversity in this collection. Climate factors of geographical origins, however, explained larger amounts of the marker genetic diversity observed. These results provide baseline information to identify a core genetic subset of the V. villosa germplasm collection. Information presented here may facilitate future V. villosa breeding efforts and directly assist farmers in cover crop varietal selection.