Seed Zones for Tapertip Onion
and Indian Ricegrass
RC Johnson, Barbara Hellier, and Mike
Cashman
USDA-ARS Plant Genetic Resources, Western Regional
Plant Introduction Station (WRPIS)
Agricultural
Research Service
Cooperators
• USFS: Nancy Shaw, Brad StClair, Matt
Horning, Vicky Erickson
• USDA-ARS: Tom Jones, Erin Espeland
• BLM: Peggy Olwell, Scott Lambert, Mary
Byrne (Seeds of Success)
• UN-Reno: Beth Ledger
National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS)
Conservation and Utilization
of Plant Genetic Resources
Examples of U.S. native genera at
the Western Regional Plant
Introduction Station (WRPIS)
Achillea
Festuca
Achnatherum*
Pseudoroegneria*
Allium*
Lotus
Artemisia
Trifolium
Astragalus
Onobrychis
Bromus*
Leymus*
Elymus*
Lupinus
Poa*
Vicia
*Genecology work underway or planned
Native genetic
resources
on the edge:
-Invasive weeds
-Frequent fires
-Overgrazing
-Climate change
Gaylen Hansen
Seeds of Success
Seeds of Success (SOS) was
established in 2001 by the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) in
partnership with the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew Millennium Seed Bank
(MSB)
It is now an ongoing program with
many partners that collect, conserve,
and develop native plant materials for
rehabilitating and restoring lands in
the United States.
SOS and the NPGS are partnering
to collect and conserve key native
plant materials. Approximately 2,000
new native accessions have been
acquired for the NPGS so far.
Using the Genecology Approach: Benefits
Large and diverse collections are completed and
conserved to ensure against genetic erosion and
vulnerability.
Genecology is based on data collected from common
gardens, resulting in a wealth of documentation data
which enhances the utility of collections.
Seed zones give land managers critical information
concerning the adaptation of germplasm for a given
area.
Adapted Germplasm for the Great
Basin and Intermountain West:
Species currently under study :
*Allium acuminatum, Tapertip onion (WRPIS, BLM)
*Achnatherum hymenoides, Indian ricegrass (WRPIS,
UN-Reno, BLM)
Bromus carinatus, Mountain Brome (WRPIS, USFS)
Poa secunda, Sandberg bluegrass (WRPIS, USFS,
ARS,BLM)—In the ground
*Pseudoroegneria spicata, Bluebunch wheatgrass
(WRPIS, USFS, BLM)
Koeleria macrantha, Prairie Junegrass (USFS)—In the
ground
Additional Planned at WRPIS:
Achnatherum thurberianum, Thurber's needlegrass
Leymus cinereus, Basin wildrye
Genecology Steps
Assume “local” adaptation is best, at least desirable
Collect germplasm over a region of interest at many
locations and in many environments
Evaluate plant material in common gardens over
years and sites—analyze variability—especially for
seed source locations
Condense plant traits with principal components
Use regression to model principal components with
environmental variables at the seed source locations
Map regression equations across the landscape to
reveal seeds zones.
Allium acuminatum, Tapertip onion
Common and important Great Basin species associated with healthy
rangeland and good habitat for sage grouse
Progress:
Germplasm collection
Common gardens established
Evaluation of morphological and phenological diversity
Analysis of diversity
Determine seed adaptation zones
Report results; presentation and publications
Germplasm Collections-2005
A. acuminatum
collection teams
Walter Kaiser and RC Johnson
Rob Adair and Barbara Hellier
Allium acuminatum collection 2005—55 locations
Twenty Level 4 Ecoregions
Collectionn
sites
Semiarid Hills and Low Mountains
1
Southern Forested Mtns/Dry Partly Wooded
Mtns
1
Mountain Home Uplands
1
Southern Forested Mountains
1
Pluvial Lake Basins
1
High Desert Wetlands
1
Continental Zone Foothills
1
Unwooded Alkaline Foothills
1
Semiarid Foothills
1
High Glacial Drift-Filled Valleys
1
Central Nevada Mid-Slope Woodland and
Brushland
1
Central Nevada High Valleys
1
Carbonate Woodland Zone
2
Carbonate Sagebrush Valleys
2
Mid-Elevation Ruby Mountains
3
Semiarid Uplands
4
High Lava Plains
5
Upper Humboldt Plains
6
Owyhee Uplands and Canyons
8
Dissected High Lava Plateau
13
Umbel,
Flower
Leaf
Scape
A. acuminatum
field evaluation at
Pullman and
Central Ferry sites
Bolting date
Flower color
Flowers/umbel
Leaf length
Leaf width
Leaf color
Leaf habit
Leaf number
Seeds/plant
Seed mat. date
Flowering date
Scape dia.
Scape length
Umbel dia.
Survival
ANOVA location effects
A. acuminatum
traits
Both
sites
CF
PU
Variance for locations
Site*
Loc
------------------P-value -------------
Both
sites
CF
PU
-------------%----------
Bolting date
0.001
0.000
0.001
0.109
52.8
57.9
57.9
Flower color
0.001
0.000
0.001
0.001
75.8
86.3
86.3
Flowers/umbel
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.986
17.5
9.4
9.4
Leaf length
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.190
23.2
22.0
22.0
Leaf length: width
0.003
0.000
0.221
0.357
87.6
77.2
96.5
Leaf width
0.001
0.009
0.001
0.901
20.2
12.6
12.6
Seeds/plant
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.494
20.1
18.9
18.9
Scape diameter
0.001
0.005
0.009
0.788
15.0
14.2
14.2
Scape length/dia.
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.688
22.2
21.7
21.7
Scape length
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.525
30.0
29.0
29.0
Days flower- maturity
0.011
0.001
0.001
0.009
12.8
20.2
20.9
Survival
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.041
31.2
34.0
34.0
Umbel diameter
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.312
20.3
21.7
21.7
Linear correlations between Tapertip onion plant traits and collection location
environmental factors (n=55). P<0.05(*), P<0.01(*), and ns (not significant).
A. acuminatum
Variable
Lat.
Long.
Elev.
Slope
Aspect
Max.
temp.
Bolting date
ns
ns
0.46**
ns
ns
-0.50**
-0.56**
0.31*
Flower color
-0.36**
ns
0.32*
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Flowers/umbel
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Leaf length
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Leaf width
-0.31*
ns
0.26*
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Leaf color
ns
ns
ns
0.27*
ns
ns
ns
ns
Leaf habit
ns
ns
ns
-0.37**
-0.30*
ns
ns
ns
0.28*
ns
ns
ns
ns
-0.35**
ns
0.54**
Seeds/plant
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
-0.28*
-0.30*
0.42**
Seed mat. date
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Flowering date
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
-0.34**
ns
Scape dia.
ns
ns
0.29*
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Scape length
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Umbel dia.
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Survival
ns
-0.26*
0.46**
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Leaf number
-0.28*
Min.
temp.
Precip.
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
r=0.46, n=53
0.5
Survival
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2200
Elevation,m
Relationship between survival of Allium acuminatum in common gardens
and elevation at collection locations in the Great Basin, r = 0.46**
Principal component (PC) analysis of selected traits
PC
1
2
3
4
5
Eigenvalue Difference Proportion Cumulative
5.3204
3.0275
1.3250
0.7828
0.6829
2.2929
1.7025
0.5422
0.0999
0.1938
----%---40.9
23.3
10.2
6.0
5.3
----%---40.9
64.2
74.4
80.4
85.7
Regression models
Regression equations for principal component 1
and environmental variables, R2=0.37
Variable
df
Regression
coefficient
Regression
P-value
Intercept
1
11.345
0.002
Elevation
1
0.002
0.013
Precip May
1
-0.124
0.001
MinTemp May
1
2.358
0.002
MinTemp June
1
-2.576
0.001
Regression equation for principal component 2
and environmental variables, R2=0.29
Variable
df
Regression
coefficient
Regression
P-value
Intercept
1
4.041
0.006
Elevation
1
-0.002
0.004
Precip May
1
-0.063
0.015
Precip Oct
1
0.074
0.024
Summary for A. acuminatum
Tapertip onion
 Numerous growth and development traits in
common gardens had strong location effects
showing populations differed across the Great
Basin
 Precipitation, latitude and elevation appeared to
be the environmental factors most important to
adaptation
 Principal components 1 and 2 explained nearly
two-thirds the variation and were used to simply
plant traits for modeling seed zones
 Regression models were developed and will be
mapped to delineate seed zones
 Work is underway on stand establishment and
seed production to enhance utilization
Achnatherum hymenoides, Indian ricegrass
Important forage species for many parts of the Great Basin and
intermountain West. One study ongoing another planned from
new collections
Progress:
Germplasm collection
Common gardens established (2007) (new 2010)
Evaluation of morphological and
phenological diversity (2007-08) (new 2010)
Analysis of genetic diversity
□Determine seed adaptation zones
Report results; presentation and publications
Distribution of Indian ricegrass seed
source locations currently in the NPGS
collection at the WRPIS, Pullman, WA.
Measurements in 2007 & 2008 in irrigated
and dryland gardens
Phenology
Heading date
Blooming date
Maturity date
Prostrate habit
Upright habit
Morphology
Leaf width
Leaf length
Culm length
Inflorescence length
Leaf texture
Leaf abundance
Leaf roll
Plant habit
Unrolled, flat leaf
A tightly
rolled leaf
Growth and production
Inflorescences per plant
Seeds per inflorescence
Crown diameter
Dry weight
Regrowth weight
Dry weight less regrowth
Hand sickles were
used to remove above
ground foliage for dry
weight determination
Cut to 1-2 cm height;
regrowth was harvested
th l t
ACHY 2007 ANOVA summary
Variable
P-values
Mean
CV
Garden (G)
Location (L)
GxL
Heading date (DOY)
191
6.9
<0.01
<0.01
0.66
Bloom date (DOY)
179
6.7
<0.01
<0.01
0.06
Maturity date (DOY)
205
6.2
<0.01
<0.01
0.59
Leaf width (mm)
2
36.9
<0.01
<0.01
0.43
Leaf length (cm)
15
29.6
0.93
<0.01
0.93
Leaf length/leaf width
8.92
45.2
<0.01
<0.01
0.64
Leaf length X leaf width
29.6
56.1
0.12
<0.01
0.73
Inflorescences per plant
13
73.9
<0.01
<0.01
0.36
Seeds per inflorescence
50
41.9
0.60
<0.01
0.42
Culm length (cm)
25
21.5
0.35
<0.01
0.51
Inflorescence length (cm)
15
26.6
0.13
<0.01
0.67
Culm length/inflorescence length
1.8
28.7
0.96
<0.01
0.26
Habit (1-9 scale)
5
21.3
0.31
<0.01
0.47
Leaf texture (1-9 scale)
5
24.6
<0.01
<0.01
0.18
Leaf abundance (1-9 scale)
5
23.2
0.15
<0.01
0.22
Leaf roll (1-9 scale)
4
37.1
0.03
<0.01
0.36
Crown diameter area (cm2)
26.5
57.0
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
Dry weight (g)
23.4
79.2
<0.01
<0.01
0.33
Regrowth weight (g)
3.66
67.7
0.53
<0.01
0.39
Dry weight less regrowth
20.7
78.8
<0.01
<0.01
0.40
ACHY 2008 ANOVA summary
Variable
P-values
Mean
CV
Garden (G)
Loc (L)
GxL
Full heading date (DOY)
148
1.60
0.98
<0.01
0.08
Initial bloom date (DOY)
139
2.1
0.10
<0.01
0.63
Maturity date (DOY)
166
0.90
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
Leaf width (mm)
2
35.4
0.93
<0.01
0.43
Leaf length (cm)
13.29
29.1
0.54
<0.01
0.22
Leaf length/leaf width
9.571
40.2
0.85
<0.01
0.29
Leaf length*leaf width
22.01
55.0
0.66
<0.01
0.50
Inflorescences per plant
105.6
59.3
0.19
<0.01
0.63
Seeds per inflorescence
44.92
42.4
0.31
<0.01
0.44
Culm length (cm)
27.30
22.5
0.94
<0.01
0.05
Inflorescence length (cm)
13.02
24.9
0.18
<0.01
0.72
Culm length/inflorescence length
2.21
27.0
0.26
<0.01
0.77
Habit (1-9 scale)
6
21.1
0.17
<0.01
0.47
Leaf texture (1-9 scale)
6
21.0
0.96
<0.01
0.78
Leaf abundance (1-9 scale)
4
32.3
0.04
<0.01
0.78
Leaf roll (1-9 scale)
7
20.4
0.53
<0.01
0.58
Crown diameter area (cm2)
35.05
50.3
0.86
<0.01
0.38
Dry weight (g)
46.92
76.2
0.72
<0.01
0.54
Regrowth (g)
11.54
92.1
0.01
<0.01
0.01
Dry weight less regrowth (g)
36 30
80 9
0 18
<0 01
0 29
Results for Indian Ricegrass
Analyses of Variance
Analyses of variance showed similar trends for
2007 and 2008; seed source location was strongly
significant for all plant variables measured with few
garden x locations interactions.
Results suggest that plant adaptation varies
depending on seed source location.
ACHY 2007 Linear Correlation Between Plant Variables and Physiographic Variables
Elev
Lat
Long
Max
Temp
Full heading date
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Initial bloom date
0.24
ns
ns
-0.34
-0.35
0.19
-0.31
ns
0.23
ns
ns
-0.15
ns
ns
Leaf width
-0.30
ns
ns
ns
0.19
ns
0.26
Leaf length
-0.22
ns
ns
ns
0.21
ns
0.22
Leaf length/leaf width
ns
ns
0.28
ns
ns
ns
ns
Leaf length*leaf width
-0.34
0.21
ns
ns
0.23
ns
0.27
Inflorescences per plant
ns
-0.22
ns
0.33
0.32
-0.20
0.24
Seeds per inflorescence
-0.25
0.40
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Culm length
ns
0.19
0.21
ns
ns
0.28
ns
Inflorescence length
ns
0.20
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Culm length/inflor. length
ns
ns
0.22
ns
ns
0.22
-0.25
Habit
ns
-0.38
ns
0.26
0.22
ns
0.20
0.31
ns
ns
ns
-0.24
ns
-0.27
ns
0.23
ns
ns
ns
ns
-0.28
Leaf roll
0.28
ns
0.26
ns
-0.24
ns
-0.29
Dry weight
-0.27
ns
ns
0.20
0.28
ns
0.26
Regrowth weight (g)
-0.28
ns
ns
0.20
0.32
ns
0.35
Dry weight less regrowth
-0.26
ns
ns
0.19
0.27
ns
0.24
Variable
Maturity date
Leaf texture
Leaf abundance
Min
Temp
Ave
Precip
Frost Free
ACHY 2008 Linear Correlations between traits and Physiographic variables
Variable
Elev
Lat
Long
Max
Temp
Full heading date
ns
ns
ns
0.28
0.24
-0.28
0.24
Initial bloom date
-0.21
ns
ns
0.24
0.25
-0.26
ns
Maturity date
-0.31
ns
-0.23
0.43
0.43
-0.35
0.44
Leaf width
-0.26
0.28
-0.22
ns
ns
ns
ns
Leaf length
-0.22
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
0.24
ns
ns
ns
ns
-0.32
0.30
ns
ns
ns
ns
0.23
Inflores.per plant
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
0.23
ns
Seeds per inflor.
-0.25
0.41
ns
-0.26
-0.19
0.30
ns
Culm length
ns
0.30
ns
-0.23
ns
0.27
ns
Inflorescence length
ns
0.23
ns
-0.23
ns
0.29
ns
Culm to inflor. length
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Habit
ns
-0.22
-0.34
0.30
0.22
-0.38
0.24
Leaf texture
0.24
-0.36
0.22
ns
ns
ns
ns
Leaf abundance
-0.23
ns
ns
0.20
0.20
ns
0.20
Leaf roll (1-9 scale)
ns
-0.29
0.21
ns
ns
ns
ns
Dry weight
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
-0.24
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
0.24
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
Leaf length/leaf width
Leaf length X leaf width
Regrowth weight
Dry weight less regrowth
Min
Temp
Precip
Frost Free
Results of Linear Correlation
All of the plant traits had some significant
correlation with the climatic and environmental
variables.
Elevation, latitude, and frost free period had the
most consistent correlations with plant variables
suggesting a role in adaptation
Plant habit, seeds per inflorescence, and regrowth
weight were the plant variables most consistently
and strongly correlated with environmental
variables.
Next for Indian Ricegrass
Study 1
Use principal components to reduce and
“simplify” plant traits
Use regression to model principal
components with environmental variables
Map regression equations to reveal seeds
zones.
Indian ricegrass
Study 2 (2010)
Recent collections of
Indian ricegrass for new
common gardens at
Central Ferry, WA and
Reno, NV. Collections
completed by WRPIS and
cooperators in BLM and
USFS.
Summary
Collection and conservation of key native species is ongoing to
insure against habitat reduction, climate change, and other factors
causing genetic erosion.
Diverse collections of key native species from the Great Basin-including Tapertip onion and Indian ricegrass--are being evaluated
in common garden studies.
Results show that plants from different seed source locations differ
in growth and development across the landscape; differences in
adaptation likely.
Plant traits have been linked to local environmental variables and
seed zones are being developed; this process is nearly complete for
Tapertip onion and ongoing for Indian ricegrass.
New plant materials combined with seed zones will provide new
tools for sustainable revegetation in the Great Basin.