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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Forage and Range Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #186477
Title: GENE DISCOVERY RESEARCH IN PERENNIAL LEYMUS WILDRYES

Author
item Larson, Steven

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2005
Publication Date: 11/17/2005
Citation: Larson, S.R. 2005. Gene discovery research in perennial leymus wildryes. Meeting Proceedings.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Molecular genetic maps and DNA libraries have been used to facilitate genetic research in most major crop and livestock species, including forage legumes and grasses. Our objective is to develop molecular genetic maps and DNA libraries for perennial Leymus wildryes to initiate gene discovery research in perennial range grasses. High-density molecular genetic maps were constructed for two full-sib populations, TTC1 and TTC2, derived from two Leymus triticoides x L. cinereus hybrids. These stress-tolerant North American range grasses display divergent remarkable adaptations in growth habit (rhizomatous and tussock), plant height, phenology, seed germination, salt-tolerance, seed-shattering, and forage quality (incuding NDF, ADF, protein, and mineral content). The 164-sib TTC1 and 170-sib TTC2 maps contain a total of 1583 Leymus-specific genomic DNA markers and 67 reference DNA markers (conserved gene sequences) that have been mapped in wheat, barley, oats, maize, or rice. These DNA markers segregated into 14 linkage groups, which evidently correspond to the 14 chromosome pairs of allotetraploid Leymus (2n=4x=28). These molecular maps provide a useful starting point to identify chromosomal loci controlling functionally important trait differences between these Leymus wildryes and compare these results to genetic maps for related traits in other Gramineae (grass or cereal) species. Additional resources from large-insert BAC libraries and expressed gene sequence libraries from the L. triticoides x L. cinereus hybrids will also be incorporated to facilitate gene discovery research in perennial Leymus wildryes. The ultimate goal of this research is to identify genes that control functionally important trait variation stress-tolerant, perennial range grasses.