Tolerances of Old World bluestems to an acid soil high in exchangeable aluminum

Summary Twenty-nine genotypes of Old World bluestems (Bothriochloa intermedia, B. ischaemum andB. caucasica) were screened for Al tolerance in greenhouse pots of acid Tatum subsoil which was unlimed at pH 4.1 and limed at pH 5.3. Three strains of weeping lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula) and El Reno side-oats grama grass (Bouteloua curtipendula) were also included as indicators of acid and alkaline soil tolerance, respectively. At pH 4.1 only 5 of the 29 bluestems and the 3 weeping lovegrasses produced measurable yields of tops or roots. The remaining 24 bluestems and side-oats grama either died or barely remained alive (due to frequent watering) with no appreciable growth. Weeping lovegrass was significantly more tolerant to the acid soil than any of the bluestems; relative top yields (pH 4.1/pH 5.3) were 101, 94 and 79% for the FQ71, common and FQ22 strains, respectively. Among the 5 bluestems that survived at pH 4.1, relative top yields ranged from 19 to 46%. Bluestems PI 300860 and PI 300857 (bothB. intermedia) appeared more tolerant than PI 300886 (B. intermedia) and PI 312442 (B. caucasica) with PI 300858 (B. intermedia) being intermediate; however, all 5 showed promise for use on acid soils that are high in exchangeable Al. Genotypes that failed to grow at pH 4.1 included members ofB. intermedia, B. ischaemum andB. caucasica. Some of these, such as PI 300825 (B. intermedia) and PI 300765 (B. caucasica), were among the highest yielders at pH 5.3. None of the 10 genotypes ofB. ischaemum survived at pH 4.1.