January 7, 2002

Compass plants growing in the field at Ardmore, OK.

Typical compass plant blossom.

Compass plant blossom with curved petals.

Blossoms of a compass plant expressing the 'profuse ligule' trait.

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc., Ardmore, Okla., announces the release of NF-1, and NF-1 Profuse Ligule, compass plant (Silphium laciniatum L.) germplasm. Compass plant is a perennial forb native to the grasslands of the central USA. NF-1 is a broad based population intended to provide breeders and other researchers with germplasm adapted to the southern Great Plains. NF-1 Profuse Ligule, tested under the designation NF-1 Double Blossom, is a half-sib population derived from a single plant expressing the profuse ligule trait. Chromosome number of both germplasm lines is 2n = 2X = 14.

NF-1 originates from seed and/or plants collected in 1997 from four sites in south-central Oklahoma, as well as from PI441269, which originates from Pittsburg County, OK. Seedlings were transplanted to a nursery in Ardmore, OK, and descriptor data (i.e. height, first bloom date), as well as seed, collected in 2000 and 2001 from all flowering plants. The original accessions comprising NF-1 expressed a wide range in height and first bloom date. Seed was bulked to comprise the NF-1 germplasm line.

An individual seed derived plant, R6P1, originating from one of the collection sites, expressed the profuse ligule trait, resulting in a far greater number of petals per blossom than is commonly found in compass plant. All blossoms on R6P1 expressed the profuse ligule trait; mature achenes (i.e. seed bearing structures) were produced from both ray (exterior) and disk (interior) flowers. Seed was harvested on a half-sib basis from R6P1 in 2000 and 2001 and bulked to form the NF-1 Profuse Ligule germplasm line.

NF-1 and NF-1 Profuse Ligule should be useful in developing improved cultivars or novel germplasm, as well as studying the biology of compass plant. Limited quantities of seed of NF-1 (200 seeds) and NF-1 Profuse Ligule (10 seeds) will be available for breeding, research, and educational purposes upon written or e-mail request to the senior author. Both germplasm lines have been submitted to the USDA National Plant Germplasm System. Appropriate recognition of source is requested when either germplasm line contributes to research publications or to the development of a cultivar or germplasm.

Andrew A. Hopkins*, Limei Yun, and Dennis W. Walker

Contact information:
    A.A. Hopkins
    Forage Improvement Division
    Noble Foundation, Inc.
    2510 Sam Noble Parkway
    Ardmore, OK 73401
    email: aahopkins@noble.org

Links:
Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum): Noble Foundation Plant Imagegallery

Silphium laciniatum: University of Wisconsin Herbarium

Compass Plant Germplasm News Release: news release text and links to high-resolution compass plant photos

Forage Biotechnology at the Noble Foundation: home page