HERITABILITY OF TOLERANCE TO SIMAZINE IN GIANT BERMUDAGRASS (CYNODON DACTYLON L. PERS. VAR. ARIDUS HARLAN ET DE WET) (RESISTANCE, AMETRYN, INHERITANCE).

Abstract

Five clones of giant type bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) pers. vars. aridus and afghanicus Harlan et de Wet, progenies from crosses among those five, and crossed, selfed, and open pollination progeny from selected F₁ plants were evaluated for response to simazine (2-chloro-4,6-bis(ethylamino)-s-triazine). The first two generations were also evaluated for their response to ametryn (2-(ethylamino)-4-(isopropylamino)-6-(methylthio)-s-triazine). Two techniques were used. Culm cuttings, rooted in wet vermiculite, were placed into test tubes of simazine or ametryn suspensions at various concentrations or water. Culms were rated (1 to 9, 9 normal, 1 dead) for herbicide injury. Seeds were placed into petri dishes on moist filter paper, germinated in a germinator (day 35C, night 21C) and treated with 8ppm simazine or water in a greenhouse. Seedlings were rated visually for herbicide injury (7 normal, 5 affected, 1 dead) weekly, later daily, until a final drying and weighing of seedlings after all those in simazine were dead. Tolerance of all treated materials was expressed as percentage of control. There were significant differences among plants in tolerance to simazine with significance up to .001, although there was great variance within genotypes affected. The correlation between ametryn and simazine reaction was low. Tolerance scores were affected by condition of culms (significance .05), dosage, and nutrient levels. The clone by nutrient level interaction was significant at .01. Tolerance to simazine varied widely (more than 60%) among progeny of any plant as maternal parent. Progeny of reciprocal crosses between resistant and susceptible clones had similar (45 to 46) mean tolerance scores intermediate between parental scores indicating no dominance. Plants with the same cytoplasm ranged from most resistant (88%) to most susceptible (11%). Maternal effect on tolerance appears absent. The range of response for progeny of parents of any tolerance level indicates several pairs of genes are involved. Open pollination seedlings from consistently resistant plants averaged more resistant than seedlings from consistently susceptible plants. Giant bermudagrass simazine tolerance must be quantitatively inherited, possibly additive, with penetrance varying with plant condition, dosage, and other environmental constraints.