Abstract
Bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. is a widely used warm-season turfgrass species in warmer regions of the world. Gamma (ɣ) irradiation has been used to generate useful variations in turfgrass breeding for various morphological traits. The objective of the present study was to measure and determine variations in morphology and turfgrass characteristics of a native drought resistant bermudagrass germplasm irradiated with 70, 90 or 110 Gy using a 60Co source. The stolons containing a single node were irradiated and immediately planted for regeneration in a greenhouse at the Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey. Selected mutants regenerated from the irradiated stolons were clonally propagated and transplanted into plastic pots for further observations of turfgrass characteristics. Survival rates of stolons exposed to 70, 90 and 110 Gy were 76%, 43% and 17% respectively, 6 weeks after treatment. Dosages of 85 and 57 Gy were determined as LD50 and LD20 for the cuttings, respectively. The linear reduction of survival rate with increasing gamma-rays was highly correlated (r2=0.99). A total of four mutant lines (0.3 % of the irradiated plants) showed a distinct dwarfed growth habit. Three of these lines were originated from 70 Gy and one from 110 Gy. These mutant lines exhibited more dwarf growth habit, higher shoot density, finer leaf texture than parental genotype. Mutant lines developed in this study can be used for the development of improved bermudagrass cultivars for landscaping and sports turf.
Highlights
Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] is a warm-season grass widely used for pasture, forage, turfgrass, soil stabilization, and remediation (Burton, 1947; Taliaferro, 2003)
Mutation breeding has successfully been used in turfgrasses (Busey, 1980; Dickens et al, 1981; Burton, 1985; van Harten, 1998; Hanna and Elsner, 1999)
Probit analysis indicated that LD50 and LD20 dosages were 85±7and 57±14 Gy, respectively (Fig. 1)
Summary
Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] is a warm-season grass widely used for pasture, forage, turfgrass, soil stabilization, and remediation (Burton, 1947; Taliaferro, 2003). ‘Princess 77’, ‘Riviera’) under Mediterranean conditions (Sever Mutlu et al, 2014).These wild germplasm of bermudagrass is well adapted to the region’s biotic and abiotic factors Their rapid vertical growth, coarse-leaf texture and long internodes are undesirable and limit their use as turfgrass. Gamma-rays irradiation has been successfully used to generate new breed lines of bermudagrass from the wild germplasm (Lu et al, 2009). Each of these mutant turf cultivars possessed finer texture and superior turgrass quality than their parental genotypes (Li et al, 2010).
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