Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Opening and Introduction:

• Call to order the meeting at 8:20 a.m.
• Ali (Univ. of Georgia) opened the meeting by welcoming the group, and introduced the agenda for the meeting.
• Ali introduced Sara Delheimer- Impact writer/Impact writing workshop presenter for multistate research projects.  
• Sarah provided a 20-min presentation followed by actual practice for writing effective ‘Impact Statement’ for research reports. Brief summary of the presentation:
• Communicating relies on members of the project group, and a good report is a first step to sharing your work with other researchers, general public, government/funding agencies.
• Audience is most likely non-experts, and may not know the technical statement, and the impact statement is a brief of summary of work and why it matters.
• There are many different forms: a good impact statement is brief (So what? Who cares? – Changes ahead- social, environment, behavior, knowledge).
• The Issues- actions (small pieces), output/results (moral, take home message, but this is not impact)-- Impact story (how paper advances the sciences, workshop impact on farmers, then how they changed the social, economic, environmental problems, or behavior changes). In cases of public value statement <= impact statement, outcome<= impact statement. It is good practice to indicate public value in the impact statement.
• Sarah mentioned that additional information for writing impact statements can be found at https://www.mrfimpacts.org/about-impact-statements

• Faith Peppers from the Univ. of Georgia provided a basket of “Taste of Georgia” to the meeting group, and she also provided resources for developing impact statements for Multistate projects.

Break at 11:15AM

11:30AM Discussion on NE1710 project  

1. Developing broadly adapted, climate resilient forages for sustainable cropping systems.

Sub-objectives

1.1. Developing regionally adapted, resilient alfalfa germplasm pools.

• Riday (USDA-DFRC, Wisconsin): Four northern alfalfa pools were developed prior to the NE1710 project. For NE1710, the four populations were transplanted at Wisconsin, Cornell, Davis, Quebec (Canada), and Lethbridge (Canada). In fall 2018, plant selection was made at the Cornell site, and all other sites plan to make selections this year. Data will be collected at all sites. NIFA-AFRP provided additional funds, which enabled Cornell, Wisconsin, and Davis to establish three additional sites this year. A new NIFA grant proposal was submitted for the next round. The goal for this winter is to harvest seeds for seed increase. The plan is to release four germplasm pools.
• Southern region: The Noble Research Institute is reviewing their programs, and alfalfa may be considered whether to continue for research.
• Biligetu (U of Sask.) mentioned that he can establish an alfalfa variety trial if an additional northern site is needed.
• Missaoui (Univ. of GA) asked about the number of cycles for the germplasm pool, and H. Riday mentioned they completed one cycle of selection.
• Viands (Cornell) asked if he would combine the seeds from all sites to release four populations/germplasms. H. Riday suggested having a group discussion, and the idea was not to increase number of populations, thus maintaining the four pools. Heathcliff has data for all pools.
• Viands (Cornell) suggested that a convergent-divergent selection may be useful for the second round of selection. So far has five sites with potential seed harvest. It may be good to have separate material by each location.
• Riday mentioned a hairy a vetch project. In that project, they selected a few generations at each site before material exchange among sites. Seed production at one site may be a challenge for all sub-populations. The fund has a one-year extension until next year.
• For southern pool- Missaoui (Univ. of GA) evaluated a large number of germplasms (380 PIs) in the last couple years. Data were collected, and selection was made from 27 PIs (3 plants/PI). The target fall dormancy was 6-10.
• Missaoui (Univ. of GA) also is currently evaluating PIs under low soil pH, and plans to do a GWAS study.
• Missaoui (Univ. of GA) has a few experimental alfalfa populations and is currently increasing seed at Idaho. He will do a variety trial next year, and other alfalfa germplasm with FD 6-10 can be entered into this trial.
• Riday mentioned that Debby Samac (USDA-ARS) and others are doing a sequencing project (alfalfa, blueberry, sweet potato), which includes sequencing alfalfa (ARS project).

1.2. Developing switchgrass germplasm with improved fungal pathogen resistance

• Viands: Gary Bergstrom’s post-doc, Shawn Kenaley led this objective, but he is no longer with Cornell. Gary is still the lead; he is interested in rust and smut race identification, and if there are samples with these diseases, they can be sent to him.
• Don expressed concern that we are already in Year 2 of 5 years of the project, and we need to make more progress.
• Boe (South Dakota State Univ.) mentioned switchgrass is currently tested at 13 different locations for a new study on GWAS of switchgrass, and he is phenotyping the materials.
• Missaoui will talk to Shavannor Smith to determine if she is interested in joining the NE1710.
• Baldwin (Mississippi, USA) also sent switchgrass disease (Smut) samples to S. Smith.

1.3. Developing resilient cool-season grasses adapted to variable climatic conditions.

• Biligetu (U of Sask.) updated the project progress. This project included orchardgrass, tall fescue, meadow bromegrass, and timothy. The best two lines + check variety from each of three locations (Saskatoon, Quebec, Logan) were used for each species. Six sites were selected for this study based on their latitude including two sites each at Quebec, Canada; Saskatoon, Canada; and Logan, UT. All plots (pseudo-plot of 48 plants/plot) were transplanted and established in 2018. First year data will be collected in summer 2019.

1.4. Determining the extent of genetic variability of condensed tannins among currently available birdsfoot trefoil cultivars and elite lines.

• Papadopoulos – (AAFC, Nova Scotia) updated the project. Y. Papadopoulos selected eight trefoil breeding lines for condensed tannins, and has sent seed to other locations. Y. Papadopoulos commented that it is currently too wet to seed at his site. Rebecca Brown (U. Rhode Island) will seed in August 2019, and Wisconsin is planning to seed in the fall 2019 as well. Cornell will seed the trial within next few weeks.
• Riday has developed two entries of high and low tannin germplasm, and asked if he can add them to the list. Y. Papadopoulos suggested to use the same experimental design.

Objective 2. Understanding genotype by environment interactions across multiple forage species.

• Tall Fescue: A. Missaoui commented that 14 tall fescue entries received (4 from Tim Philips, 3 checks, 7 from Ali’s program), and sent seeds to Cornell and Nova Scotia. Y. Papadopoulos will plant in spring 2019.
• Orchardgrass: B. Baldwin commented that he has one orchardgrass population to test, and A. Missaoui mentioned he has seven entries with adequate seeds for three to four locations if others are interested in a trial.
• Red Clover: H. Riday plans to collect red clover data to examine the relationship between nursery and sward density trials, if he can get the data for red clover from other sites. D. Viands mentioned Julie Hansen may have some data. D. Viands commented that the 2017 red clover trial with materials from U of Georgia, and Wisconsin, shows variance for persistence. Julie can select plants for them if there is an interest. Ali and Heathcliffe expressed interest. Ali mentioned that their extension staff has variety trials for various species, and if anyone wants to test their material, they can talk to them.

Viands suggested having a new administrative advisor for NE1710 project because he plans to retire at the end of 2020. The administrative advisor has to be a university faculty, and D. Viands will talk to potential candidate faculties. Note: After the meeting, Viands found out that the administrative advisor needs to be from the Northeast since this is an NE multistate project. He will ask his replacement at Cornell to become the administrative advisor, starting 2021.

Next meeting location: Lansing, Michigan (Joint meeting with the North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference, June 1, 2020).

Chair: Bill Biligetu  

Secretary: Brian Baldwin

Meeting adjourned at 12:40 p.m.

Appendix 1

Northeast 1710 Annual Report, May 2019

Brian Baldwin and Jesse Morrison

Mississippi State University

            Efforts to improve warm- and cool-season native grasses for forage, habitat and reclamation have moved forward.  Selection for rapid germination of five warm-season native grasses (lowland and upland switchgrass, Panicum virgatum; big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii; indiangrass, Sorghastrum nutans and little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium) have been successful; three other species are still undergoing selection (Eastern gammagrass, Tripsacum dactyloides; purpletop, Tridens flavus and beaked panicum, Panicum anceps).  Examiners have approved the lowland switchgrass variety ‘Expresso’ (syn ‘Espresso’), and issuance of the PVP (#201800200) is pending.  The upland short-statured switchgrass variety ‘Robusto’ has been submitted for PVP examination; the other three will follow in June.  Breeder’s seed of the five entries has been delivered to Roundstone Native Seed, LLC. (Upton, KY and Live Oak, FL).  Foundation fields have been established.  Spring, 2020 will initiate the generation of Registered seed increase.

            ‘Tusca’ is a cultivar of lowland switchgrass selected from ‘Alamo’ (USDA NRCS, Knox City, TX) for resistance to the herbicide imazapic.  Plant patent has been applied for and published (https://patents.google.com/patent/US20190014734A1/en ).  Additional screening to determine if selection for Tusca conferred cross-resistance to similar ALS-inhibiting herbicides was conducted. Five ALS-inhibiting herbicides including; imazapic (IPIC), imazamox (IMOX), imazapyr (IPYR), imazethapyr (ITHR), and metsulfuron methyl (MSUL), were tested on Alamo, Tusca, and wild-type johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L) Pers.] at five rates (25, 50, 75, 100, and 125% of the label rate) plus an untreated control, under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Johnsongrass was used as a reference species to confirm efficacy of herbicide treatments. Six replications of 25 seeds of both cultivars and johnsongrass were screened for response to herbicide treatment at germination as well as the 3-leaf stage. Mean germination percentage for untreated Tusca, Alamo, and johnsongrass were 71.5, 24.8, and 40.8, respectively. Compared to controls, mean germination percentage of Tusca remained >50% at all rates of ITHR and IMOX, whereas ITHR decreased germination of Alamo to <25% and IMOX to <50%. While Tusca shows some improved tolerance to IPIC at germination, greater tolerance was found to ITHR, IPYR, and IMOX, whereas mean germination percentage of Alamo was significantly reduced by all treatments.

            Work with North American native grasses has almost exclusively focused on warm-season, C4 grasses.  There is still a great need for the inclusion of native cool-season grasses for reclamation of grasslands.  Originally lumped in with Canada and Virginia wildrye (Elymus canadensis and E. virginicus, respectively), southeastern wildrye (E. glabriflorus) was recognized as a separate species in 2007.  The occurrence of southeastern wildrye in the Deep South is favored over Canada wildrye, and in full sun locations, southeastern wildrye predominates over Virginia wildrye.  Being relatively new to agronomists, cultural parameters and establishment experiments were conducted to aid in research and breeding programs.   Optimal germination requirements were examined.  Data suggests optimal temperature for germination is between 15-20°C.  Photoperiod did not affect germination.  Germination is greatest at pH greater than 5.0, though germination does occur at lower pH.  Seed conditioning (removal of the beard) decreases germination, but also negatively impacts shelf life of the unplanted seed.   Maximum seedling emergence occurs at a planting depth of 0.64 cm.  While most references indicate that native grasses do not need high levels of fertility, southeastern wildrye is highly responsive to nitrogen application.   Like most native grass species, persistence declines with greater than two cuts per season.  

There are no herbicides currently labeled for use in southeastern wildrye.  Tolerance of southeastern wildrye to application of popular herbicide chemistries at the five-leaf stage have been explored.  Herbicides included imazethapyr, sulfometuron methyl, quinclorac, mesotrione, sulfentrazone, imazapic, nicosulfuron, thifensulfuron methyl, and sulfosulfuron.  Herbicides were applied at label rates with recommended adjuvants.  Plant height, seed and biomass yield, and plant population were negatively impacted by application of sulfometuron methyl (Oust XP) only. Anecdotal evidence indicates limited tolerance to the auxin-type herbicides.  Southeastern wildrye is primarily self-pollinated, though about 8-12% crossing does occur and extends to related species.   Selection and genetic improvement requires the accumulation of large numbers genotypes and the close quantification of specific characteristics.

            Exotic cool-season grass screening for heat tolerance in orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) has been conducted for three years (Eric Billman Ph.D. dissertation).  Recurrent phenotypic selection was used to select elite individuals of annual ryegrass and orchardgrass that expressed improved germination and growth at high temperature.  Selections were conducted within growth chambers at fixed temperature and light regime (40/30°C, 12/12 hrs light/darkness) to eliminate effects from environmental variance.  Following three cycles of selection, we observed gain in selection of the base population for both species.  Annual ryegrass mean cumulative germination at 40°C for cycle 3 peaked at 45.8% and orchardgrass mean cumulative germination at 40°C for cycle 3 as 82.7%.   Observations 20 days after the near record low temperatures in January 2017 indicate selection for heat-tolerance did not affect cold tolerance.  Persistence observations are currently underway for improved orchardgrass.

1. Developing broadly adapted, climate resilient forages for sustainable cropping systems.

1.1. Developing regionally adapted, resilient alfalfa germplasm pools.

• Alfalfa germplasm pools have been established at multiple locations. Some data have been collected, and plants will be selected from each location for vigor, agronomic traits, and persistence with the ultimate goal of developing new germplasm for alfalfa breeding programs.
• Selection of 27 accessions that showed adaptation and good performance in Georgia was made following the evaluation of 340 NPGS accessions. Seed is being increased for further selection and performance evaluation.
  

1.3. Developing resilient cool-season grasses adapted to variable climatic conditions.

• Brian Baldwin and Jesse Morrison at Mississippi State University submitted a report (Appendix 1) describing their efforts to improve warm- and cool-season native grasses for forage, habitat and reclamation in the Southeast.
• Germplasm of orchardgrass, tall fescue, and bromegrass have been planted at multiple locations for germplasm enhancement.
  

1.4. Determining the extent of genetic variability of condensed tannins among currently available birdsfoot trefoil cultivars and elite lines.

• Planting of selected breeding lines for condensed tannins was postponed to fall 2019 in AAFC, Nova Scotia, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. Cornell is still planning to seed within next few weeks (Spring 2019).
• Riday has developed two entries of high and low tannin germplasm that will be included in the trial using the same experimental design.

Objective 2. Understanding genotype by environment interactions across multiple forage species.

• Tall fescue variety trials were established at Cornell and Nova Scotia in spring 2019. Two more sites will be planted in the fall 2019 in Georgia and Kentucky.

 Each trial involved 14 tall fescue entries received from Tim Philips (4), 3 checks, and 7 from Ali’s program at UGA.

Carlson, J., T. Bell, S. Bonos, M. Hall, J. Hansen, J. Lasky, and D. Viands. 2019. Breeding resilient, disease-resistant switchgrass cultivars for marginal lands. USDA-DOE Bioenergy Feedstocks PI meeting. 25-26 February 2019, Washington, DC.

Hansen, J.L, D.R. Viands, J. Chavez, J. Crawford, J. Schiller, and R. Crawford. 2018. New York forage legume and grass variety yield trials summary for 2018 - season totals

http://plbrgen.cals.cornell.edu/research-extension/forage-project/ny-forage-yield-results

Songsomboon, C., R. Crawford, J. Crawford, J. Hansen, J. Cummings, N. Mattson, G. Bergstrom, and D. Viands. 2019. Recurrent phenotypic selection for resistance to diseases caused by Bipolaris oryzae in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Biomass and Bioenergy. In press.