Publication Date
1985
Location
Kyoto Japan
Description
The Australian cultivar of phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.) is a wild Mediterranean population that has been useful for increasing and stabilizing pasture productivity in south-eastern Australia, but it has many deficiencies. This review describes the discovery and exploitation of the genetic variation needed to domesticate and improve the species. Domestication began with the reduction of dimethyltryptamine alkaloids in the herbage. However, the low alkaloid cultivar, Sirolan, is still toxic, possibly due to hypomagnesaemia. The second domestication step is the suppression of seed dispersal. At least four recessive genes and dominance modifiers appear to control the non-shedding trait. These are being backcrossed into a high-yielding, low alkaloid breeding population. The adaptability of phalaris has been increased by selection for greater drought tolerance, firstly among accessions to develop cv. Sirocco, and later within a breeding population to develop cv. Sirolan. Tolerance of acid soils now can be increased following the assessment of resistance levels and their genetic variability. Phalaris generally is tolerant of excess soil manganese, but varies in its tolerance to excess aluminium. Complementary dominant alleles confer aluminium tolerance, but within the tolerant class, considerable polygenic variability exists, and this has moderately high heritability. Compared with the original cultivar, the new cul ti vars Sirosa and Sirolan have 100% increases in seedling vigour and winter herbage yield, and therefore provide more productive pastures that are easier to establish. Cultivars under development will have twice the seed yield, better seed viability and maturity, cheaper seed and greater tolerance to acid soils.
Citation
Oram, R N.; Schroeder, H E.; and Culvenor, R A., "Domestication of Phalaris aquatica as a Pasture Grass" (1985). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 9.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1985/ses2/9)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Domestication of Phalaris aquatica as a Pasture Grass
Kyoto Japan
The Australian cultivar of phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.) is a wild Mediterranean population that has been useful for increasing and stabilizing pasture productivity in south-eastern Australia, but it has many deficiencies. This review describes the discovery and exploitation of the genetic variation needed to domesticate and improve the species. Domestication began with the reduction of dimethyltryptamine alkaloids in the herbage. However, the low alkaloid cultivar, Sirolan, is still toxic, possibly due to hypomagnesaemia. The second domestication step is the suppression of seed dispersal. At least four recessive genes and dominance modifiers appear to control the non-shedding trait. These are being backcrossed into a high-yielding, low alkaloid breeding population. The adaptability of phalaris has been increased by selection for greater drought tolerance, firstly among accessions to develop cv. Sirocco, and later within a breeding population to develop cv. Sirolan. Tolerance of acid soils now can be increased following the assessment of resistance levels and their genetic variability. Phalaris generally is tolerant of excess soil manganese, but varies in its tolerance to excess aluminium. Complementary dominant alleles confer aluminium tolerance, but within the tolerant class, considerable polygenic variability exists, and this has moderately high heritability. Compared with the original cultivar, the new cul ti vars Sirosa and Sirolan have 100% increases in seedling vigour and winter herbage yield, and therefore provide more productive pastures that are easier to establish. Cultivars under development will have twice the seed yield, better seed viability and maturity, cheaper seed and greater tolerance to acid soils.
