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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center » Dairy Forage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #341947
Title: Extensive genetic diversity present within North American switchgrass germplasm

Author
item EVANS, JOSEPH - Pioneer Hi-Bred, Inc
item SANCIANGCO, MILLICENT - Michigan State University
item LAU, KIN - Michigan State University
item CRISOVAN, EMILY - Michigan State University
item KAEPPLER, SHAWN - University Of Wisconsin
item BRUMMER, E CHARLES - University Of California
item Casler, Michael
item BUELL, C ROBIN - Michigan State University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/5/2017
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a perennial, native North American grass currently grown for ecological restoration and forage purposes that has potential as a biofuel feedstock crop. Understanding the genetic diversity of switchgrass can provide insight into allelic variants important in development of switchgrass cultivars with improved agronomic traits, including increased biomass. Previous studies on switchgrass diversity focused on a panel of primarily northern switchgrass. To expand our knowledge of genetic diversity in a broader set of North American switchgrass, we generated exome capture sequence data for an additional 632 individuals that are primarily lowland which, combined with the 537 individuals previously analyzed, represent 1,169 individuals from 140 populations (72 lowland, 67 upland, 1 mixed). We used these data to identify 1.9 million high-confidence SNPs that were used for downstream analysis of genetic diversity and population structure. Using these SNPs, we identified seven separate population groups (four upland groups, three lowland groups) within the switchgrass populations sampled which provide wide representation of native North American switchgrass diversity. Assessment of population structure and genetic distance analyses readily revealed moderate genetic differentiation between the lowland and the upland populations, with extensive genetic diversity within lowlands relative to the uplands, consistent with reports of a genetic bottleneck in switchgrass. Analyses of nucleotide diversity revealed a high degree of genetic diversity relative to rice, maize, soybean, and Medicago consistent with the outcrossing mode of reproduction and polyploidy in switchgrass.