Track 4-1-4: Biotechnological Approaches to Improve Range, Pasture and Forage Species
Description
The genus Cenchrus comprises of forage grasses of tropical and sub-tropical regions. Some of the Cenchrus species were introduced into India from Australia, Africa and they are now important component of Dichanthium-Cenchrus-Lasiurus grasslands of India. Eight Cenchrus spp. are available in India but only four (C. ciliaris, C. glaucus, C. pennisetiformis and C. setigerus) species are used in sown pastures. The remaining four (C. biflorus, C. preiurii C. echinatus and C. myosuroides) species are grown in limited pockets and maintained as genetic resources for basic and applied studies (Chandra and Dubey, 2010). Number of Cenchrus species reproduces through apomixis, a mode of reproduction which produces seeds without fertilization. Apomixis in P. squamulatum and C. ciliaris has been reported to be controlled by the apospory-specific genomic region (ASGR) which is highly conserved and macrosyntenic between these species (Conner et al., 2008). Rarely, sexual plant of C. ciliaris has also been reported (Kumar et al., 2010).
Molecular markers linked to apospory have been reported in several grasses including C. ciliaris (Ozias-Akins et al., 1998). However, reliable markers for apomictic and sexual modes of reproduction which can be used in breeding programs for these grasses have been still awaited. Therefore, we started looking for simple, robust and reliable marker linked with apomictic and sexual modes of reproduction in Cenchrus spp. Since molecular markers are not influenced by environmental factors and developmental stage of plant, they can be efficiently used in basic studies on apomixis as well as in grass breeding programs. PCR-based diversity analyses of these Cenchrus spp. resulted into identification of markers associated with the mode of reproduction, which were successfully converted into sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) and validated using F2 mapping population of C. ciliaris. These markers would be very useful for genetic analysis of apomixis, fine mapping of apomixis locus, marker-assisted breeding and estimating genetic diversity in the Cenchrus spp.
Included in
SCAR Markers Linked with Mode of Reproduction in Eight Cenchrus Species
The genus Cenchrus comprises of forage grasses of tropical and sub-tropical regions. Some of the Cenchrus species were introduced into India from Australia, Africa and they are now important component of Dichanthium-Cenchrus-Lasiurus grasslands of India. Eight Cenchrus spp. are available in India but only four (C. ciliaris, C. glaucus, C. pennisetiformis and C. setigerus) species are used in sown pastures. The remaining four (C. biflorus, C. preiurii C. echinatus and C. myosuroides) species are grown in limited pockets and maintained as genetic resources for basic and applied studies (Chandra and Dubey, 2010). Number of Cenchrus species reproduces through apomixis, a mode of reproduction which produces seeds without fertilization. Apomixis in P. squamulatum and C. ciliaris has been reported to be controlled by the apospory-specific genomic region (ASGR) which is highly conserved and macrosyntenic between these species (Conner et al., 2008). Rarely, sexual plant of C. ciliaris has also been reported (Kumar et al., 2010).
Molecular markers linked to apospory have been reported in several grasses including C. ciliaris (Ozias-Akins et al., 1998). However, reliable markers for apomictic and sexual modes of reproduction which can be used in breeding programs for these grasses have been still awaited. Therefore, we started looking for simple, robust and reliable marker linked with apomictic and sexual modes of reproduction in Cenchrus spp. Since molecular markers are not influenced by environmental factors and developmental stage of plant, they can be efficiently used in basic studies on apomixis as well as in grass breeding programs. PCR-based diversity analyses of these Cenchrus spp. resulted into identification of markers associated with the mode of reproduction, which were successfully converted into sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) and validated using F2 mapping population of C. ciliaris. These markers would be very useful for genetic analysis of apomixis, fine mapping of apomixis locus, marker-assisted breeding and estimating genetic diversity in the Cenchrus spp.
