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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #210912
Title: UTILIZING ANDROGENESIS IN POA BREEDING

Author
item Kindiger, Bryan
item WIPFF, JOSEPH - BARENBRUG RES. STA.

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/14/2007
Publication Date: 11/16/2009
Citation: Kindiger, B.K., Wipff, J. UTILIZING ANDROGENESIS IN POA BREEDING. Meeting Proceedings.Volume 55 Issue 4, Pages 206-215.

Interpretive Summary: The generation of genetic diversity in bluegrass cultivars having commercial and economic importance is limited due to a non-sexual form of reproduction known as apomixis. Bluegrass cultivars possessing an apomictic form of reproduction only produce offspring that are exact genetic duplicates or clones of the maternal parent. Though apomixis is an advantage in the maintenance of seed or varietal purity, this reproductive behavior severely restricts the bluegrass breeder’s ability to expand the genetic diversity of his breeding stock. The generation of hybrids between Texas bluegrass x Kentucky bluegrass, Texas bluegrass x Big bluegrass; and Texas bluegrass x Argentine bluegrass were investigated to determine the potential of identifying an approach that could be utilized to increase a breeders potential for generating genetic diversity in bluegrass materials possessing an apomictic form of reproduction. Results of the study indicate that a rare reproductive process in Texas bluegrass can be used as a tool to expand the genetic diversity of apomictic Poa. Though this reproductive attribute of Texas bluegrass is infrequent in occurrence, the unique offspring generated from the behavior are easy to identify through the visual field evaluations or the use of DNA marker technologies. This information will be of interest to bluegrass breeders having an interest in expanding or diversifying the genetic resources of their breeding programs.

Technical Abstract: The generation of haploids is a relatively infrequent event in most plant species. The derivation of paternal haploids via androgenesis has traditionally been used for the generation of inbred lines, transfer of cytoplasm and genome reduction in polyploid species. This study investigates the use of a traditional breeding approach that takes advantage of androgenenic behavior in Poa and the subsequent generation of dihaploid individuals. An interspecific hybridization program, utilizing non-apomictic, Poa arachnifera (Texas bluegrass) as the female parent in crosses with apomictic P. pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass), apomictic P. secunda (Big bluegrass) and non-apomictic P. ligularis (Argentine bluegrass), is investigated to determine the value of a androgenesis breeding approach. Each interspecific cross resulted in the generation of dihaploid individuals. The integration of molecular markers was also observed to complement the traditional breeding approach by enhancing the identification and selection of the dihaploid individuals.