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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Griffin, Georgia » Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #166723
Title: CHARACTERIZATION OF SEASHORE PASPALUM (PASPALUM VAGINATUM SWARTZ) GERMPLASM TRANSFERRED SSRS FROM WHEAT, MAIZE AND SORGHUM

Author
item Wang, Ming
item CHEN, ZHENBANG - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item Anglin, Noelle
item Harrison, Melanie
item KIM, W. - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item RAYMER, PAUL - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item Pederson, Gary

Submitted to: Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/28/2004
Publication Date: 4/30/2006
Citation: Wang, M.L., Chen, Z., Barkley, N.L., Harrison Dunn, M.L., Kim, W., Raymer, P., Pederson, G.A. 2006. Characterization of seashore paspalum (paspalum vaginatum swartz) germplasm transferred SSRS from wheat, maize and sorghum. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 53:779-791

Interpretive Summary: There are many DNA markers (SSRs) available in wheat, maize and sorghum (field crops) but there were not many DNA markers available in seashore paspalum (one kind of turf grass or golf grass). Actually, seashore paspalum, wheat, maize, and sorghum belong to the same family (Grasses). In theory, they share similar DNA sequences. What we did was using primers from wheat, maize and sorghum to amplify small pieces of DNA fragments from seashore paspalum. It turned out these primers worked very well. The transfer rate was 67.5%, 49.0% and 66.8% respectively. These fragments can be used as descriptors to distinguish seashore paspalum germplasm on the DNA level. Once we have these fragments, they can be used to classify or cluster our germplasm. Usually, the seashore paspalum germplasm were classified by morphological characters. We combined morphological characters and DNA fragment length information. In this case, our classification should be more accurate and useful (e.g. reduce redundancy and misclassification). The DNA fragment length information can also be used for protection of patient right of turf grass cultivars. This is the first report for borrowing DNA markers from field crops and using them on newly-emerged turf grasses.

Technical Abstract: One hundred and thirty SSR markers from wheat, maize and sorghum were screened for the transferability to Paspalum. The transfer rate was 67.5%, 49.0% and 66.8% respectively. This would be a very efficient approach for DNA marker development for species which are not well studied molecularly. The polymorphism level for transferred SSR markers was 51.5% within species (Paspalum vaginatum) and 87.1% among Paspalum species. The high level of polymorphism is directly related to the high degree of heterozygosity maintained by its way of reproduction, i.e. self-incompatibility. Forty transferred polymorphic SSR markers were selected and used for characterization and evaluation of seventy-three Paspalum accessions. In total, 209 polymorphic bands were detected from these 40 SSR markers, with an average of five polymorphic bands per marker. The Paspalum accessions were genetically clustered into three major groups. Two very similar dendrograms can be generated from either 109 or 209 polymorphic bands. This led us to determine that 20 of the transferred SSR markers were sufficient for genetically differentiating and clustering the investigated germplasm accessions. The number of SSR markers required for germplasm characterization and evaluation is discussed. This is the first report of the transfer of SSR markers from major field crops to newly-emerged environmental turfgrasses.