Satellite Symposium 5: Molecular Breeding
Description
White clover constitutes a low percentage of the overall sward content in Irish pastureland despite EU directives limiting the use of nitrogenous fertilizers. This is mainly due to the tendency of large amounts of white clover to cause bloat. Bloat is a potentially fatal build up of proteinaceous foam in the guts of ruminants. Some lesser cultivated legumes such as Lotus species contain condensed tannins (CT) that decrease the incidence of bloated animals. The project’s objective is to reduce the risk of bloat by generating white clover cultivars with high CT content. We are investigating whether expression of the ANTHOCYANIN REDUCTASE gene (BAN) in transgenic white clover and Medicago truncatula (model) plants leads to increased CT levels (Xie et al., 2003).
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Minimising Bloat Through Development of White Clover (T. Repens) with High Levels of Condensed Tannins
White clover constitutes a low percentage of the overall sward content in Irish pastureland despite EU directives limiting the use of nitrogenous fertilizers. This is mainly due to the tendency of large amounts of white clover to cause bloat. Bloat is a potentially fatal build up of proteinaceous foam in the guts of ruminants. Some lesser cultivated legumes such as Lotus species contain condensed tannins (CT) that decrease the incidence of bloated animals. The project’s objective is to reduce the risk of bloat by generating white clover cultivars with high CT content. We are investigating whether expression of the ANTHOCYANIN REDUCTASE gene (BAN) in transgenic white clover and Medicago truncatula (model) plants leads to increased CT levels (Xie et al., 2003).
