Publication Date
1989
Description
Paspalum dilatatum Pair., dallisgrass, is a warm-season grass native to South America. There are several biotypes of this species and common dallisgrass is the most prevalent. It is an important pasture grass throughout the warmer regions of the world but has two major impediments-low fertility and susceptibility to ergot (Claviceps paspali). Improvement efforts have been unsuccessful because the common biotype is a complex natural hybrid with an unbalanced genomic composition and an obligate apomict, a form of asexual reproduction that has prevented improvement by conventional plant breeding methods. To circumvent this apomictic barrier, phylogenetic investigations were initiated to identify the progenitors of common dallisgrass. Once the progenitors are identifed, they will be crossed to synthesize improved forms of common dallisgrass. This paper reports recent progress of the program.
Citation
Burson, B L., "Phylogenetics of Apomictic Paspalum Dilatatum" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 58.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session3b/58
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Phylogenetics of Apomictic Paspalum Dilatatum
Paspalum dilatatum Pair., dallisgrass, is a warm-season grass native to South America. There are several biotypes of this species and common dallisgrass is the most prevalent. It is an important pasture grass throughout the warmer regions of the world but has two major impediments-low fertility and susceptibility to ergot (Claviceps paspali). Improvement efforts have been unsuccessful because the common biotype is a complex natural hybrid with an unbalanced genomic composition and an obligate apomict, a form of asexual reproduction that has prevented improvement by conventional plant breeding methods. To circumvent this apomictic barrier, phylogenetic investigations were initiated to identify the progenitors of common dallisgrass. Once the progenitors are identifed, they will be crossed to synthesize improved forms of common dallisgrass. This paper reports recent progress of the program.
