Alamo x Kanlow genotypic and phenotypic data for biomass yield and yield-related traits in lowland switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) crosses

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a model herbaceous bioenergy crop in the USA. It is a native, perennial, warm-season grass, and has broad adaptability. Many breeding programs focus on the genetic improvement of switchgrass for increasing biomass yield. Significant genetic variation for biomass yield observed in lowland switchgrass hybrids. Due to the quantitative inheritance of biomass yield, varietal improvement for the trait through conventional breeding is slow. Therefore, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping is used to discover marker-trait associations and accelerate the breeding process through marker-assisted selection. To identify significant QTL, this study mapped seven biparental crosses and one combined cross of two biparental crosses (30 to 96 F1s) between lowland Alamo and Kanlow genotypes. The crosses were evaluated for biomass yield, plant height, and clonal mass scores in a simulated-sward plot with two replications at two locations in Tennessee from 2019 to 2021. ..., ,