Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #274553
Title: Use of sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers for comparing levels of genetic diversity in centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.) germplasm

Author
item MILLA-LEWIS, SUSANA - North Carolina State University
item KIMBALL, JENNIFER - North Carolina State University
item ZULETA, M. CAROLINA - North Carolina State University
item Harris-Shultz, Karen
item SCHWARTZ, BRIAN - University Of Georgia
item HANNA, WAYNE - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/4/2011
Publication Date: 2/1/2012
Citation: Milla-Lewis, S.R., Kimball, J.A., Zuleta, M., Harris-Shultz, K.R., Schwartz, B.M., Hanna, W.W. 2012. Use of sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers for comparing levels of genetic diversity in centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.) germplasm. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 59(7):1517-1526. doi: 10.1007/s10722-011-9780-8.

Interpretive Summary: Centipedegrass is a low input turfgrass grown in the southeastern United States. Limited morphological variation is seen among centipedegrass in the United States and a germplasm collection trip was conducted in seven Chinese provinces in 1999 to increase the diversity in the United States collection. The collected accessions from China displayed morphological variation yet little is known about the level of molecular variability or how these levels compare to accessions previously present in the United States. In this study, sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers were used to assess the genetic variation that exists within the centipedegrass accession collected from China. Accessions from the Henan province and the United States collection displayed the largest genetic diversity. Furthermore alleles were present in the Chinese accessions that were not present in the existing U.S. collection. These accessions could be valuable in the development of new centipedegrass cultivars with desirable turfgrass traits.

Technical Abstract: Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack) has great potential as a low-input turf within the U.S. because of its lower management requirements and its tolerance to an array of environmental stresses. Only a handful of centipedegrass cultivars have been released to date, however. This is mainly due to limited morphological variation present in U.S. centipedegrass germplasm. With the objective of broadening the genetic base of this species, a germplasm collection trip was conducted in seven Chinese provinces in 1999. The resulting 58 accessions were found to exhibit morphological variation for a number of traits. However, little is known about levels of molecular variability in these accessions or how those levels compare to materials previously present in the U.S. Sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers were used in the current study to investigate these issues. Eleven primer combinations yielded 279 scored fragments. Genetic diversity, in terms of number of alleles and Dice similarity values, was highest in the Henan and U.S. groups. AMOVA indicated that while both the among and within components of variance were significant (P<0.0001), most of the variation (94%) could be explained by differences within groups. The PCO plot showed large differences in levels of diversity in all groups evaluated. Overall, our results indicate that the U.S. collection had high levels of diversity compared to other groups. However, there are alleles in the Chinese groups not represented in the U.S. collection. These materials could represent additional sources of variation to be used in centipedegrass cultivar development programs.