BioEnergy Research

, Volume 7, Issue 4, pp 1329–1342 | Cite as

Evaluation of Salinity Tolerance and Genetic Diversity of Thirty-Three Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) Populations

Article
First Online:

Abstract

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a warm-season C4 grass that is a target lignocellulosic biofuel species. Salt stress is one of the major limiting factors for switchgrass growth in many regions. The objective of this study was to examine relative salt tolerance and genetic diversity among 33 switchgrass populations. Seeds of each population were planted in cone-tainers and grown in a greenhouse. Two months after establishment, the switchgrass were grown in half strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution with either 0 mM NaCl (control) or half strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution with 250 mM NaCl (salt stress treatment) for 24 days. Salt stress tolerance was determined based on a variety of parameters including leaf electrolyte leakage (EL), chlorophyll content (Chl content), leaf photochemical efficiency (F v/F m), photosynthetic rate (P n), stomatal conductance (g s), and transpiration rate (T r). Significant differences in salt stress tolerance were found among the 33 populations. Based on the P n and salt tolerance trait index (STTI), lowland populations AM-314/MS-155, Kanlow, TEM-LoDorm, Alamo, and BN-13645-64, as well as upland populations T-2086, T-2101, BN-11357-63, and BN-12323-69 were classified as salt tolerant. In contrast, upland populations BN-18757-67, 70SG0021, Summer, 70SG0016, T16971, Dacotah, Turkey, 70SG003, and Pathfinder were classified as salt sensitive populations. Sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) marker analysis was employed to determine the genetic diversity among the 33 switchgrass populations. UPGMA cluster analysis showed that salt tolerant switchgrass populations TEM-LoDorm, Alamo, Kanlow, BN-12323-69, AM-314/MS-155, T2101, BN-11357-63, T-2086, and BN-13645-64 clustered into one group, indicating that these salt tolerant populations may have a similar genetic background.

Keywords

Switchgrass Panicum virgatum Salt tolerance SRAP marker Genetic diversity 

Abbreviations

RWC

Relative water content

EL

Electrolyte leakage

Chl

Chlorophyll

Fv/Fm

Leaf photochemical efficiency

Pn

Photosynthetic rate

gs

Stomatal conductance

Tr

Transpiration

STTI

Salt tolerance trait index

SRAP

Sequence-related amplified polymorphism

WUE

Water use efficiency

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Notes

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. John Seiler and Mr. John Peterson (Virginia Tech) for the equipment support. We also appreciate Dr. Melanie Harrison-Dunn from USDA-ARS, Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit, Griffin, GA for providing the switchgrass seeds information. The project was supported by a grant from the US Department of Energy and US Department of Agriculture to XZ and BZ. The activity is also partially supported by the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station (VA135872) of Virginia Tech to BZ.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Crop and Soil Environmental SciencesVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburgUSA
  2. 2.Department of HorticultureVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University BlacksburgUSA
  3. 3.Department of Grassland Science, Animal Science and Technology CollegeSichuan Agricultural UniversityYa-anChina

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