Agricultural Science Commons^™

Application Of Molecular Technologies In Forage Plant Breeding, K. F. Smith, J. W. Forster, M. P. Dobrowolski, N. O. I. Cogan, N. R. Bannan, E. Van Zijll De Jong, M Emmerling, G. C. Spangenberg

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. A range of molecular breeding technologies have been developed for forage plant species including both transgenic and non-transgenic methodologies.
2. The application of these technologies has the potential to greatly increase the range of genetic variation that is available for incorporation into breeding programs and subsequent delivery to producers in the form of improved germplasm.
3. Further developments in detailing the phenotypic effect of genes and alleles both through research in target species and through inference from results from model species will further refine the delivery of new forage cultivars.

A Computational Pipeline For The Development Of Comparative Anchor Tagged Sequence (Cats) Markers, J. Schauser, J. Fredslund, L. Heegaard Madsen, Niels Sandal, Jens Stougaard

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points:

1. Molecular markers that allow the transfer of map information from one species to another are vital in comparative genetics.
2. To identify potential anchor marker sequences more efficiently, we have established a bioinformatic pipeline that combines multi-species EST- and genome- sequence data.
3. Taking advantage of information from a few related species, comparative EST sequence analysis identifies evolutionary conserved sequences in less well-characterised species in the same family.
4. Alignment of evolutionary conserved EST sequences with corresponding genomic sequences defines sets of PCR primer sites flanking introns.
5. Markers identified by this procedure will be readily transferable to other species since they …

Application Of Molecular Markers In Genetic Resources Management Of Perennial Ryegrass, R. Van Treuren

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Molecular markers are effective tools to support traditional approaches in plant genetic resources management.
2. Genetic diversity assessed for perennial ryegrass by AFLP analysis revealed differentiation of populations occurring in traditional Dutch grasslands from commercial varieties, but not from populations occurring in Dutch nature reserves.
3. No specific conservation measures were recommended to maintain the genetic diversity of perennial ryegrass occurring in traditional Dutch grasslands.
4. Pollination rates estimated by microsatellite analysis for a rejuvenated population of a perennial ryegrass genebank accession were very well described by an inverse quadratic function of inter-plant distance between potential mating pairs, while recorded flowering …

Leaves Of High Yielding Perennial Ryegrass Contain Less Aggregated Rubisco Than S23, A. Kingston-Smith, P. W. Wilkins

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Breeding diploid perennial ryegrass for improved dry matter yield under nitrogen-limiting conditions has reduced the nitrogen (N) concentration of the herbage (Wilkins et al., 2003). Reduced N concentration in the ruminant diet is one potential way to reduce losses of N to the environment by reducing the amount of N that animals excrete. The underlying physiological basis of this increased N-use efficiency in ryegrass was investigated.

Variability In Quantity And Composition Of Water Soluble Carbohydrates Among Irish Accessions And European Varieties Of Perennial Ryegrass, S. Mcgrath, S. Barth, A. Frohlich, M. Francioso, S. A. Lamorte, T. R. Hodkinson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study was to identify perennial ryegrass accessions displaying high fructose and glucose contents and an improved ratio between fructose and glucose fractions across different time points throughout the year. Fructose and glucose are the main constituents of the water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) fraction in perennial ryegrass. For animal nutrition the amount of WSC is crucial as it is the primary energy source available to metabolise the intake of plant protein. The ratio between fructose and glucose fractions is important since fructosan chains, which are an excellent energy source for ruminants, are built from fructose. Furthermore the …

Introgression Breeding For Improvement Of Winter Hardiness In Lolium /Festuca Complex Using Androgenenesis, T. Yamada, Y. D. Guo, Y. Mizukami

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Intergeneric hybrids between closely related Lolium and Festuca species are used to broaden the gene pool and provide plant breeders with options to combine complementary traits to develop robust but high quality grass varieties. Androgenesis was found to be an effective procedure for selecting Lolium-Festuca genotypes comprising gene combinations rarely or never recovered by conventional backcross breeding programs. Here we describe the optimisation of androgenesis in Lolium perenne x Festuca pratensis. The male fertility and freezing tolerance of the Festulolium microspore-derived progenies were analysed and these progenies were also analysed by using genomic in situ hybridisation (GISH). The object …

A New Napier Grass Stunting Disease In Kenya Associated With Phytoplasma, A. B. Orodho, S. I. Ajanga, P. Jones, P. O. Mudavadi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) is a cultivated elephant grass native to Eastern and Central Africa forming the major livestock feed on East African smallholder dairy farms (Valk, 1990) as it is suitable for cut and carry zero-grazing management systems. Although several plant pathogens have been described historically they were seldom severe. However, in the 1970s there was an outbreak of snow mould fungal disease caused by Beniowskia spheroidea that attacked most varieties of napier grass. A napier grass variety (clone 13) was bred which is resistant to the disease. In the 1990s two major outbreaks of napier grass …

Studies Of Seed Characteristics Of Ecotypes Of Lucerne, Bromus And Agropyron In Response To Fusarium Oxysporum And F. Solani, M. A. Alizadeh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Vigorous seeds and seedlings are more resistant to pathogens than non-vigorous seeds and seedlings (Kim, 1994). Therefore, it is necessary to assess seed and seedling performance in response to seed borne fungi.

Genetic Analysis Of The Interaction Between The Host Perennial Ryegrass And The Crown Rust Pathogen (Puccinia Coronata F.Sp. Lolii), P. M. Dracatos, J. L. Dumsday, R. S. Olle, N. O. I. Cogan, M. P. Dobrowolski, K. F. Smith, J. W. Forster

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Crown rust (Puccinia coronata f.sp lolii) is the most important fungal pathogen of perennial ryegrass (L.perenne L.). The physiological effects associated with infection include reduction of water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) reserves, causing decreased dry matter yield, digestibility and palatability for herbivores reared for meat, milk and wool production. Phenotypic variability of rust-infection in perennial ryegrass is likely to be due to environmental effects, as well as the interaction of defence and resistance genes in the grass and virulence genes in the pathogen. Classical and molecular genetic marker-based studies have previously detected both qualitative and quantitative resistance, due respectively …

Molecular Characterisation Of Bacterial Wilt Resistance In Lolium Multiflorum Lam., B. Studer, B. Boller, F. Windmer, U. K. Posselt, E. Bauer, R. Kölliker

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), a forage grass of prime importance throughout the world, is adversely affected by the pathogen Xanthomonas translucens pv graminis. Breeding for resistant cultivars is the only practicable means of disease control. However, the inheritance of bacterial wilt resistance is largely unknown. The aim of our research is to elucidate genetic control of bacterial wilt resistance using molecular technologies such as genetic linkage mapping and the analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL).

Ear Emergence Of Different Grass Species Under Finnish Growing Conditions, M. Niskanen, O. Niemeläinen, L. Jauhiainen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Timothy is the most commonly cultivated grass species in Finland. Swards cultivated for silage of hay are of pure timothy or timothy is the dominant species of the mixture. Successful timing of harvesting of the primary growth is very critical in Northern latitudes where the stand develops very rapidly at daylengths of above 18 hours with a daily mean temperature close to 20 °C. The primary growth has to be harvested within a very short period to obtain a yield of high and uniform quality. Short harvesting periods require high capacity harvest machinery which lead to high costs. If it …

The Effect Of Harvest Management On Forage Production And Self-Reseeding Potential Of Italian Ryegrass (Lolium Multiflorum L.), P. W. Bartholomew, R. D. Williams

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) (IRG) can be managed to produce a seed output sufficient for effective re-establishment, without compromising forage yield, it may provide an alternative to perennial cool-season grasses in the Southern Great Plains of the U.S.A. The reduction in cost of replanting and avoidance of cultivation offered by a self-seeding crop may be particularly useful in low-input production systems. We examined the effect of dates of initial harvest in spring and of partial harvests on forage yield, seed output and re-establishment of Italian ryegrass.

The Influence Of Fertiliser Application To Strip-Sown Grasslands On Herbage Production And Quality, A. Kohoutek, P. Komárek, V. Odstrčilová, P. Nerušil

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To increase the productivity of dairy cattle in the Czech Republic requires an improvement in herbage quality and an increase in the net energy of herbage. The decrease in cattle numbers by 50 % and the expansion of the grassland area both result in a surplus of feedstuffs of low quality. Introduction of strip-seeding of legumes and grasses into grasslands in interaction with fertilisation provides a possible solution to this problem.

Constraints On Dairy Cattle Production From Locally Available Forages In Bangladesh, M. A. S. Khan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The productivity of milk producing animals in Bangladesh is low because of low individual yield and poor fertility. The reasons for the low productivity are complex but, in order of priority, appear to be (a) the imbalanced nature of the nutrients that arise from the digestion of the forage resources, (b) the incidence of disease/parasitism, and (c) the often harsh climatic circumstances. Thus, the purpose of this study was to find out the practical constraints on dairy cattle production from locally available forages under small holding village conditions of Bangladesh.

Pasture Management In Deer Farms In Mauritius, P. Grimaud, P. Thomas, J. Sauzier

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rusa deer (Cervus timorensis russa) were introduced into Mauritius in 1639, and with a population of 65,000 deer now provide the first source of red meat in the island. From June to September, the hunting period, extensive ranches ensure the venison market, while intensive farms provide it for the rest of the year. A pasture survey was carried out over 3 years to advise deer farmers on their sward management.

Large And Stable Genome Edits At The Sorghum Alpha Kafirin Locus Result In Changes In Chromatin Accessibility And Globally Increased Expression Of Genes Encoding Lysine Enrichment, J. Preston Hurst, Abou Yobi, Aixia Li, Shirley Sato, Thomas E. Clemente, Ruthie Angelovici

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Sorghum is a resilient and widely cultivated grain crop used for feed and food. However, it’s grain is deficient in lysine, an essential amino acid. This is due to the primary seed storage proteins, the alpha-kafirins, lacking lysine. It has been observed that reductions in alpha-kafirin protein results in rebalancing of the seed proteome and a corresponding increase in non-kafirin proteins which leads to an increased lysine content. However, the mechanisms underlying proteome rebalancing are unclear. This study characterizes a previously developed gene edited sorghum line, with deletions at the alpha kafirin locus.

Methods: A single consensus …

Large And Stable Genome Edits At The Sorghum Alpha Kafirin Locus Result In Changes In Chromatin Accessibility And Globally Increased Expression Of Genes Encoding Lysine Enrichment, J. Preston Hurst, Abou Yobi, Aixia Li, Shirley Sato, Thomas E. Clemente, Ruthie Angelovici, David R. Holding

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Sorghum is a resilient and widely cultivated grain crop used for feed and food. However, it’s grain is deficient in lysine, an essential amino acid. This is due to the primary seed storage proteins, the alpha-kafirins, lacking lysine. It has been observed that reductions in alpha-kafirin protein results in rebalancing of the seed proteome and a corresponding increase in non-kafirin proteins which leads to an increased lysine content. However, the mechanisms underlying proteome rebalancing are unclear. This study characterizes a previously developed gene edited sorghum line, with deletions at the alpha kafirin locus.

Methods: A single consensus …

Discriminating Stay-Green Grasses Using Hyperspectral Imaging And Chemometrics, J. Taylor, B. Moore, J. J. Rowland, H. Thomas, H. J. Ougham

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Screening of plant collections for traits can be expensive, in terms of the number of plants to be screened, the duration of the plant lifecycle and the required observations. This study describes the application of a non-invasive method, hyperspectral imaging, combined with multivariate analysis, to distinguish between homozygous wild-type (YY) Lolium multiflorum and Lolium multiflorum F2 back cross plants heterozygous for y, a recessive Festuca pratensis stay-green gene (Thomas et al., 1997).

Non-Destructive Assessment Of Quality And Yield For Grass-Breeding, A. G. T. Schut, M. J. J. Pustjens, P. W. Wilkins, J. Meuleman, P. Reyns, A. Lovatt, G. W. A. M. Van Der Heijden

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Selection of cultivars has, until now, been based mainly on dry matter (DM) yields because of the high costs of sampling and chemical analysis. Imaging spectroscopy could reduce costs by limiting sampling and harvesting of individual plots to reference samples (Schut et al., accepted). In this study, the prediction accuracy of DM yields and chemical composition with imaging spectroscopy is evaluated for cultivar selection purposes.

Root Senescence In Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense L.), K. J. Webb, E. Tuck, S. Heywood

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Legume root systems form a mosaic of living, ageing and dead roots and nodules. The balance between these stages alters during plant development. Stressful events (drought, temperature change, reduced carbon supply, etc.) disturb the balance (Butler et al., 1959). Effects of root and nodule death on soil structure, composition and leaching and on plant persistency are understood poorly. Plants with differing senescence patterns are useful tools to study these effects. Molecular studies of root senescence need detailed knowledge of the process and timing of root senescence and death. Biochemical and histochemical markers of senescence were used to generate preliminary …

Development Of Simple Sequence Repeat (Ssr) Markers And Their Use To Assess Genetic Diversity In Apomictic Guineagrass (Panicum Maximum Jacq.), M. Ebina, Kaori Kouki, S. Tsuruta, M. Takahara, M. Kobayashi, T. Yamamoto, K. Nakajima, H. Nakagawa

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Guineagrass is an important and widely grown tropical forage grass. Despite its importance and increasing popularity, only little is known about its genetic diversity (Ebina et al., 2001). Such information is useful for the selection of diverse parents in breeding programmes. Moreover, no simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers have been reported in any apomixis species. In this study SSR markers were developed and used to investigate genetic diversity in germplasm of apomictic guineagrass.

Construction Of Microsatellite-Enriched Libraries For Tropical Forage Species And Characterization Of The Repetitive Sequences Found In Brachiaria Brizantha, Letícia Jungmann, C. B. Do Valle, P. R. Laborda, Rosangela M. S. Resende, Liana Jank, A. P. De Souza

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Brazilian cattle herd comprises 185 million animals fed with about 177 million hectares of native and cultivated pastures (IBGE, 2002). Of the grass species used for forage in Brazil, the African genus Brachiaria is the most widely planted, followed by Panicum, which also has an African origin. Legumes of the Stylosanthes genus, native to the South America, have emerged in the last few years as potential forage species for use with the grasses. These forage species have been bred at Embrapa Beef Cattle and the breeding programs have shown the need for more genetic information including the use …

Development Of Ssr Markers For Variety Identification In Italian Ryegrass (Lolium Multiflorum Lam.), M. Inoue, N. Yuyama, H. Cai

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Italian ryegrass (IRG, Lolium multiflorum Lam.) is one of the most important cool-season forage grasses in the world, and is the most widely cultivated annual forage grass in Japan. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers have the advantages of being PCR-based, multiallelic and possessing high levels of polymorphism. They are very suitable for variety identification, especially for out-crossing species including IRG. The objective of this study was the development of SSR markers for variety identification in IRG.

Development Of A Microsatellite Library In Lolium Perenne, J. King, I. P. King, D. Thorogood, L. Roberts, K. Skøt, K. Elborough

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Lolium perenne, as one of the most important forage grasses of temperate regions, combines a number of very useful characteristics, e.g., good seedling establishment, with a low resistance to drought and limited winter hardiness. Trait selection and introgression can be greatly enhanced by the use of molecular markers in a genetic linkage map. The aim of this project was the generation of a genomic microsatellite library which when combined with microsatellites developed from a Genethresher database would give good genome coverage coupled to high levels of marker polymorphism.

Isolation Of Ssr Markers From Zoysiagrass, H. Cai, N. Yuyama, M. Inoue

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The genus Zoysia consists of 16 species that are naturally distributed on sea coasts and grasslands around the Pacific. In Japan, five species of natural zoysiagrasses have been identified from southern Hokkaido to the southwest islands. Of these, Z. japonica Steud. and Z. matrella Merr. have been utilized extensively as turf in Japan and other countries in East Asia. Linkage maps based on RFLP and AFLP markers have been reported in Zoysia (Yaneshita et al., 1999, Cai et al., 2004). Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers have the advantages of being PCR-based and multiallelic. They are highly polymorphic compared …

A Medicago Truncatula Population Segregating For Aluminum Tolerance, M. Sledge, B. Narasimhamoorthy, G. Jiang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Aluminium (Al) toxicity, manifested in inhibition of root elongation and reduced plant growth, is a major cause of poor crop yields on acid soils, which comprise up to 40% of the world’s arable land. Al toxicity associated with acid soils has been a major obstacle in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) production in the USA, as well as in tropical areas of the world. Recent molecular marker mapping studies indicate that the genomes of M. truncatula and M. sativa are highly similar (Choi et al., 2004). Thus, M. truncatula could be used as a source of genes that could …

Genetic Mapping In Tetraploid Alfalfa: Results And Prospects, E. C. Brummer, J. G. Robins, B. Alarcón Zúñiga, D. Luth

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Among the difficulties of improving forages is their perennial nature, which necessarily requires long selection cycles to fully evaluate genotypes. Further, traits of particular importance—yield and winter hardiness—are difficult to assess on single plants, necessitating evaluation of progeny, which is both time consuming and expensive. Because of this, yield of many forages, and particularly alfalfa, has not improved substantially over the past 25 years (Riday and Brummer, 2002). Winter hardiness often has a negative correlation with autumn growth, although some evidence suggests this is not always true (Brummer et al., 2000). One way to overcome some of these limitations …

Quantitative Trait Locus Analysis Of Morphogenetic And Developmental Traits In An Ssr And Aflp-Based Genetic Map Of White Clover (Trifolium Repens L.), M. T. Abberton, N. O. I. Cogan, K. F. Smith, G. Kearney, A. H. Marshall, A. Williams, T. P. T. Michaelson-Yeates, C. Bowen, E. S. Jones, A. C. Vecchies, J. W. Forster

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Molecular marker-assisted plant breeding is a key target for the temperate legume pasture crop white clover (Trifolium repens L.). The first genetic linkage map of white clover has been constructed using self-fertile mutants to derive an intercross based fourth and fifth generation inbred parental genotypes (F₂[I.4R x I.5J]). The framework map was constructed using simple sequence repeat (TRSSR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Eighteen linkage groups (LG) corresponding to the anticipated 16 chromosomes of white clover (2n = 4x = 32), with a total map length of 825 cM were derived from a total of …

A Glucanase Gene Cosegregates With A Qtl For Crown Rust Resistance In L. Perenne, H. Muylle, J. Baert, E. Van Bockstaele, I. Roldán-Ruiz

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

An important disease in Lolium spp. is crown rust caused by the fungal pathogen Puccinia coronata. In order to study the genetic background of crown rust resistance in L. perenne, a mapping study was carried out and is discussed below. To identify genomic regions or genes involved in resistance, STS markers are extremely useful. This candidate gene approach was applied in the present study.

Qtl Analysis Of Mineral Content And Grass Tetany Potential In Leymus Wildryes, S. R. Larson, H. F. Mayland

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grass tetany is a metabolic ailment in ruminants, occurring when animals graze rapidly growing C₃ grasses with a K/(Mg+Ca) ratio (KRAT) greater than 2.2. High KRAT values have been documented in several forage grasses including diploid Russian wildrye (Jefferson et al., 2001). The objective of this experiment was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling KRAT in allotetraploid wildryes.