Outline for Breeding Program profiles – to be posted at PBGP website.
http://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/group/plantbreeding
MEADOWFOAM - Clint Mattox, Gehandra Bhattarai, Christina Hagerty
1. Description of the plant(s)
Meadowfoam Limnanthes alba is a winter annual seed oil crop that is native to Northern California
and Southern Oregon. It produces oil that is highly prized by the cosmetic industry due to its long
chain fatty acid chemistry. Currently OSU is researching additional uses for this crop, including fuel
additives, lubricants, and pharmaceutical uses. Since commercial development of meadowfoam
began in the early 1980’s, Oregon State has released seven varieties and is currently breeding new
varieties for higher seed yield, disease resistance and ‘autofertile’ characteristics. Meadowfoam has
proven to be a great choice for local farmers as it makes for a good rotation crop for the Willamette
grass seed industry. Current annual sales of Oregon meadowfoam oil is $2 million.
2. Rationale and program goals
Meadowfoam is one of few winter annuals that fit nicely into a grassed rotation. Also meadowfoam
has been anecdotally shown to “clean up” fields, potential interest in investigating fungicidal,
nematicidal, and herbicidal properties that would benefit Willamette Valley farmers growing high
value seed crops. Meadowfoam is a very exciting niche crop to work on due to its recent
domestication, interesting application to cosmetics, and potential self incompatibility challenges.
Goals of the meadowfoam program include: Increase oil percent content, lower Erucic acid content,
investigate potential for pesticideal properties.
3. Current Research Projects
The meadofoam program is currently focusing on increasing oil percent content, investigating yield
factors, mechanics of seed physiology near harvest time, and seed dormancy mechanics.
Recurrent selection is the main breeding scheme of meadowfoam.
BREEDING
SCHEME
SEED
INCREASE
PROGENY
SELFING
NEW
FAMILIES
RECOMBINATION
VARIETY
TRIALS
Sponsors for the meadowfoam project include: Oregon Meadowfoam Growers (OMG) and GRA
assistenship provided by Berger Fellowship
Collaborators for the meadowfoam project include: Carol Mallory Smith, Mary Slabaugh, George
Hoffman, Ralph Reed, Jun Zang, Suphannica Intanon, Fred Stevens, Ralph Reed.
4. Graduate student training
PI statement of expectations for grad students (still waiting from Jenny)
Past and current grad student projects – Jun Zang, Finding physiological and harvest maturity,
breaking seed dormancy, seed storage condition, and genotyping by sequence which is focusing on
finding SNP markers related with seed oil content.
5. Program structure and function
Jennifer Kling, Professor/Senior Research, is the solo project lead for the OSU meadowfoam
breeding project. Jennifer is also renowned on the OSU campus for her expertise in experimental
design, and statistics related to plant breeding and genetics.
Infrastructure - Research farms (Hyslop farm and east farm), Oil seed genetic lab, Greenhouse
6. Products
List of publications
Blake, Victoria C., Jennifer G. Kling, Patrick M. Hayes, Jean-Luc Jannink, Suman R. Jillella, John Lee, David
E. Matthews, Shiaoman Chao, Timothy J. Close, Gary J. Muehlbauer, Kevin P. Smith, Roger P. Wise, Julie A.
Dickerson. 2012. The Hordeum Toolbox – The Barley CAP genotype and phenotype resource. Plant Genome,
in press.
Valesco, P., M.B. Slabaugh, R. Reed, J. Kling, V.K. Kishore, J.F. Stevens, and S.J. Knapp. 2011.
Glucosinolates in the new oilseed crop meadowfoam: natural variation in Section Inflexae of Limnanathes, a new
glucosinolate in L.floccosa, and QTL analysis in L. alba. Plant Breeding 130: 352-359.
Hamblin, M.T., T.J. Close, P.R. Bhat, S. Chao, J.G. Kling, K.J. Abraham, T. Blake, W.S. Brooks, B.
Cooper, C.A. Griffey, P.M. Hayes, D.J. Hole, R.D. Horsley, D.E. Obert, K.P. Smith, S.E. Ullrich, G.J.
Muehlbauer, and J.-L. Jannink. 2010. Population structure and linkage disequilibrium in U.S. barley germplasm:
implications for association mapping. Crop Sci. 50: 556-566.
Yallou, C.G., A. Menkir, V.O. Adetimirin, and J.G. Kling. 2009. Combining ability of maize inbred lines
containing genes from Zea diploperennis for resistance toStriga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. Plant Breeding 128:
143-148.
Castro, A.S. Petrie, A. Budde, A. Corey, P. Hayes, J. Kling, and K. Rhinhart. 2008. Variety and N
management effects on grain yield and quality of winter barley. Crop Management, Nov. issue. Online
Brugett, D.M., Glenn C. Fisher, Daniel F. Mayer, and Carl A. Johansen, Evaluating Honey Bee Colonies
for Pollination: Aguide for Growers and Beekeepers, PNW 245 (Oregon State University, Corvallis, reprinted
1993)
Johns, T.R., D.M. Burgett, and G.D. Jolliff, Pollination and seed set in Meadowfoam, EM 8666 (Oregon
State University, Corvallis, 1997)
Ehrensing, D.T., G.D. Jolliff, J.M. Crane, and R.S. Karow, Growing Meadowfoam in the Willamette
Valley, EM 8567 (Oregon State University, Corvallis, revised 1997)
Calhoun, W. and J.M. Crane. 1984. Registration of 'Mermaid' meadowfoam. Oregon Agric. Exp. Stat.,
Corvallis, OR.
Crane, J.M. and S.J. Knapp. 2000. Registration of Knowles meadowfoam. Crop Sci. 40: 291- 292.
Crane, J.M. and S.J. Knapp. 2002. Registration of Wheeler meadowfoam. Crop Sci. 42: 2208-2209.
Jolliff, G.D. 1986. Plant variety protection certificate (#8500166) for Mermaid meadowfoam. USDA,
Washington, D.C.
Jolliff, G.D. 1994. Plant variety protection certificate (#9200257) for Floral meadowfoam. USDA,
Washington, D.C.
Varieties released
-Foamore (1975)
- Mermaid (1984)
- Floral (1993)
- Starlight (2004)
- Knowles (1998)
-Wheeler (2000)
-Ross (2003)
-Pinnacle (Not released)
7. Image gallery