related to geographic adaptation. Path coefficient analyses indicated that seed head prolificacy and seed set percentage had the highest direct effects on seed yield. Stepwise regression analyses and path coefficient analyses indicated selection for plant height and adaptive capability in bermudagrass should be the best potential indirect traits for increased forage yield. Te insights provided valuable information for breeding new and improved bermudagrass cultivars.”
Dr. Wu received his Ph.D. in Crop Science (Grass Breeding and Genetics) from OSU in 2004. He then completed a two-year (2004-2006) postdoctoral research associate position with the USDA-ARS Plant Science Research Laboratory in Stillwater, Oklahoma, supervised by Dr. Yinghua Huang. As the website background reports, “Te research utilized molecular marker systems for identification and characterization of genomic regions
and reported, we prepared the data in 2010. Both cultivars were officially released that year, listing the turf team and, as with all OSU cultivar introductions, the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, OK.” NorthBridge and Latitude 36 are popular in the U.S. transition zone primarily due to their cold hardiness; spring dead spot resistance; and improved turf quality, which encompasses color, texture, and the density to resist weed infestations and provide traffic tolerance.
University research is highly driven by funding. Tus 90 percent of Wu’s current research is focused on turf new variety development and molecular research advancement. “When I started at this post, simple system repeat (SSR) markers were available only for the major food grain crops, not bermudagrass,” states Wu. “Te technology over only 10 years has moved so quickly, now that system has become outdated. We are genotyping using sequencing
New hybrid progeny between common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and African bermudagrass (C. transvaalensis) are prepared to send out for testing each year.
that affect sorghum resistance to greenbug, a major insect pest of sorghum.” And, “Among other findings, the study developed a saturated simple sequence repeat (SSR) genetic map in sorghum bicolor.”
Dr. Taliaferro retired in 2006, officially becoming an OSU Regents professor emeritus. Wu says, “OSU hired me to fill his former position on July 1, 2006. He’s continued to be a mentor and a friend, keeping in touch, with our latest get together in early summer.”
With development well underway when Wu stepped into his leadership role, ‘Goodwell’ forage bermudagrass was introduced in 2007 and ‘Cimarron’ switchgrass in 2008.
On the turf side, new releases took a bit longer. Wu says, “Dr. Taliaferro created these two plants—now named ‘Latitude 36’ and ‘NorthBridge’—from hundreds and hundreds of progenies and put them through rigid evaluation. Our colleagues’ evaluation of these two cultivars started in 2004. Once those trials were completed
TPI Turf News September/October 2016
New putting-type bermudagrass hybrids in the greenhouse.
technology and the machines are more powerful with higher throughput, getting the results more quickly. It’s fascinating to learn more about the genomes of this grass.”
Wu adds, “Latitude 36 and NorthBridge are interspecific hybrid turfgrass cultivars, incorporating the African with the common bermudagrass, and are fully sterile. We can not directly incorporate a new trait into them. So we are working to develop the new varieties looking at similar traits in turf quality, cold hardiness and spring dead spot resistance, and incorporating the added target or targets. For our United States Golf Association (USGA) grant, that target is drought resistance in seeded bermudagrasses and greens-type dwarf varieties.”
OSU also is one of the five universities participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funded, Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAPs) team, along with North Carolina State University, Texas A&M, University of Florida and University of Georgia. Wu says, “Tat grant targets salinity and drought tolerance in clonal bermudagrasses. Other
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