Rapid Detection of o-Hydroxycinnamic Acid and Beta-Glucosidase in \u3ci\u3eMelilotus alba\u3c/i\u3e

The tests utilize small samples of leaf tissue crushed on sheets of filter paper. For detection of o-hydroxycinnamic acid (o-HCA), a crude preparation containing sweetclover β-glucosidase is added to a spot of crushed tissue to insure hydrolysis of glucosidically bound o-HCA. An extract containing cis-o-HCA glucoside is added to another tissue spot to serve as the substrate for the detection of β-glucosidase activity. Finally, all spots are moistened with NaOH and are scored for fluorescence under ultraviolet light. Results of qualitative and quantitative tests on plants representing various genotypes are compared. The importance of exposing plants to sunlight before testing for o-HCA is discussed. The tests are particularly useful in genetic studies, in the development and maintenance of breeding lines, and in testing for contamination in low-o-HCA sweetclover varieties

Registration of N30-N56, N741, N743, N745, N747, U362, U363, U367, U369-U374, U389-U394, U396-U398, and U500 Sweetclover Genetic Stocks

Forty-nine white-flowered sweetclover (Melilotus alba Medik.) genetic stocks [N30-N45 (Reg. GS-1–16, PI 549120–549135); N46-N53 (Reg. GS-17–24, PI 557503–PI 557510); N54-N55 (Reg. GS-25–Reg. GS-26, PI 629289–PI 629290); N741, N743, N745, N747 (Reg. GS-27–GS-30, PI 557511–PI 557514); U362, U363, U367 (Reg. GS-31, Reg. GS-32, Reg. GS-33, PI 557515–PI 557517); U369-U374 (Reg. GS-34–GS 39, PI 557518–PI 557523); U389-U394 (Reg. GS-40–GS 45, PI 557524–PI 557529); U396- U398 (Reg. GS-46–GS 48, PI 557530–PI 557532); U500 (Reg. GS-49, PI 557533)] (Table 1); and N56 (Reg. no. GS-50, PI 634019), a yellow-flowered sweetclover [Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.] genetic stock, were developed jointly by USDA- ARS and the Agricultural Research Division, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and were jointly released in May 2004. The genetic stocks, which contain unique combinations of genes and traits, were developed over more than three decades of cooperative sweet- clover genetic research

Inheritance of Flower Color in Musk Thistle (\u3ci\u3eCarduus thoermeri\u3c/i\u3e)

Four flower-color phenotypes were observed in a population of musk thistle (Carduus tboermeri Weinm.). This plant has been commonly referred to as C. nutans L. The four phenotypes were: purple corolla and purple pollen, pink corolla and white pollen, white corolla and purple pollen, and white corolla and white pollen. In four generations, 177 self-pollinated individuals of these four phenotypes produced 2123 progeny plants that were classified. Results support the hypothesis that three independent gene pairs were involved in deter- mining the four flower phenotypes. The gene pairs have been designated P/p, W/w, and Pi/pi. It was postulated that all three dominant alleles, P, W, and Pi, must be present to produce both purple corollas and purple pollen. The p allele prevents color development in both corollas and pollen; the w allele eliminates color in corollas but does not affect pollen color; and the pi allele dilutes corolla color from purple to pink and eliminates pollen color. Height measurements of progenies of self-pollinated plants indicated that decreased plant height was associated with inbreeding. On the basis of the evidence presented, the musk thistle plants used in these experiments appear to belong to a single species

Genetic Studies of Induced Mutants in \u3ci\u3eMelilotus alba\u3c/i\u3e. I. Short-Internode Dwarf, Curled Leaf, Multifoliolate Leaf, and Cotyledonary Branching

Information obtained from the F1, F2, and F3 generations of crosses between the normal annual M. alba progenitor line and the four mutants, short-internode dwarf, curled leaf, multifoliolate leaf, and cotyledonary branching, indicates that each character is conditioned by a single pair of alleles. The multifoliolate leaf character is dominant over the normal phenotype; the other three mutant characters are recessive. The symbols dw, cl, Mf, and cb are proposed as designations for the respective mutant genes

Seasonal Variation in Leaf Hydrocyanic Acid Potential of Low- and High-Dhurrin Sorghums

The KSS and N32 sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) lines are low and high, respectively, in the hydrocyanic acid potential (HCN-p) of mature leaves. This difference is conditioned primarily by a single pair of alleles. The main objective of this study was to determine, at various stages of plant growth and various times during the growing season, the HCN-p of upper leaves and tillers of field-grown plants of these two parental lines and of two low-HCN-p F F3 lines derived from crosses between KS8 and N32. The four entries were grown in a randomized complete block design with three replications in 1985. Samples of leaf tissue were dried, ground, and extracted, and cyanide in the extracts was assayed colorimetrically. Using a mean HCN-p level of 500 mg kg-1 dry wt to separate safe from unsafe sorghum forage, all samples of KS8 mature leaves and tillers would be considered safe, and all N32 samples would be considered potentially dangerous. Values for most of the samples of the F3 lines fell within the safe range, but some samples of young regrowth exceeded the 500 mg kg-1 limit. Regressions of HCN-p on height for upper leaves of main stems and of tillers indicated a significant negative relationship for all entries except for leaves from the main stems of KS8. However, the relationship was not close enough to support the use of plant or tiller height as a reliable indicator of HCN-p. Levels of HCN-p also were determined for mature leaves and young regrowth of hybrids involving KS8, N32, and \u27Redlan\u27 sorghums as seed parents and NP25, \u27Piper,\u27 and ‘Greenleaf’ sudangrasses [S. sudanense (Piper) Stapf] as pollinators. Results indicated that for minimizing the risk of cyanide poisoning, KS8 would be the seed parent of choice, and NP2S and Piper would be the preferred pollinators

Registration of N30-N56, N741, N743, N745, N747, U362, U363, U367, U369-U374, U389-U394, U396-U398, and U500 Sweetclover Genetic Stocks

Forty-nine white-flowered sweetclover (Melilotus alba Medik.) genetic stocks [N30-N45 (Reg. GS-1–16, PI 549120–549135); N46-N53 (Reg. GS-17–24, PI 557503–PI 557510); N54-N55 (Reg. GS-25–Reg. GS-26, PI 629289–PI 629290); N741, N743, N745, N747 (Reg. GS-27–GS-30, PI 557511–PI 557514); U362, U363, U367 (Reg. GS-31, Reg. GS-32, Reg. GS-33, PI 557515–PI 557517); U369-U374 (Reg. GS-34–GS 39, PI 557518–PI 557523); U389-U394 (Reg. GS-40–GS 45, PI 557524–PI 557529); U396- U398 (Reg. GS-46–GS 48, PI 557530–PI 557532); U500 (Reg. GS-49, PI 557533)] (Table 1); and N56 (Reg. no. GS-50, PI 634019), a yellow-flowered sweetclover [Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.] genetic stock, were developed jointly by USDA- ARS and the Agricultural Research Division, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and were jointly released in May 2004. The genetic stocks, which contain unique combinations of genes and traits, were developed over more than three decades of cooperative sweet- clover genetic research

Quality Traits in Forage Sorghum Harvested at Early Head Emergence and at Physiological Maturity

Information about the extent of variation in quality traits among plants sampled at the same developmental stage but on different dates would be useful to forage researchers. The primary purpose of this study was to obtain such information for five forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] cultivars. Percent dry matter, crude protein, and in vitro dry matter disappearance of leaf, stem, and whole plant samples were determined for field-grown samples harvested on three different days during early head emergence (EHE) and once during physiological maturity (PM) for each cultivar. Orthogonal comparisons between EHE and PM sampling stages and among the• EHE samples were made. Results of the 2-year study indicated that statistically significant differences existed among EHE samples and between EHE and PM samples. However, differences among EHE samples were generally much smaller than those between EHE and PM samples and may be of little importance for some applications

Inheritance of Flower Color in Musk Thistle (\u3ci\u3eCarduus thoermeri\u3c/i\u3e)

Four flower-color phenotypes were observed in a population of musk thistle (Carduus tboermeri Weinm.). This plant has been commonly referred to as C. nutans L. The four phenotypes were: purple corolla and purple pollen, pink corolla and white pollen, white corolla and purple pollen, and white corolla and white pollen. In four generations, 177 self-pollinated individuals of these four phenotypes produced 2123 progeny plants that were classified. Results support the hypothesis that three independent gene pairs were involved in deter- mining the four flower phenotypes. The gene pairs have been designated P/p, W/w, and Pi/pi. It was postulated that all three dominant alleles, P, W, and Pi, must be present to produce both purple corollas and purple pollen. The p allele prevents color development in both corollas and pollen; the w allele eliminates color in corollas but does not affect pollen color; and the pi allele dilutes corolla color from purple to pink and eliminates pollen color. Height measurements of progenies of self-pollinated plants indicated that decreased plant height was associated with inbreeding. On the basis of the evidence presented, the musk thistle plants used in these experiments appear to belong to a single species

Registration of Ten Sorghum Parental Lines

The Nebraska Agric. Exp. Stn. and AR-SEA-USDA released in January 1980 10 pairs of A and B (male-sterile and maintainer) Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench inbred lines for producing grain and forage sorghum hybrids. All A-lines have milo cytoplasm

Registration of Ten Sorghum Parental Lines

The Nebraska Agric. Exp. Stn. and AR-SEA-USDA released in January 1980 10 pairs of A and B (male-sterile and maintainer) Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench inbred lines for producing grain and forage sorghum hybrids. All A-lines have milo cytoplasm