Reproductive mode assessing of Eragrostis curvula using specific sequences

GALLARDO, JIMENA; GALLO, CRISTIAN A.; ZAPPACOSTA, DIEGO; CARBALLO, JOSÉ; SELVA, JUAN PABLO; SIMÓN DAMIR; CHEMIN GENOVA CRISTIAN ALEJANDRO; ECHENIQUE, VIVIANA

Congreso; RAFV 2021: XXXIII Argentinian Meeting of Plant Physiology.; 2021

Eragrostis curvula is a South African forage grass that reproduces both sexually and asexually through the production of maternal clonal seeds (apomixis). The most precise characterization of the reproductive mode is by cytoembryological analyses, which is very laborious and time consuming. The objective of this work was to develop a sensitive technique to assess the reproductive mode of E. curvula plants to replace or complement the cytoembryological analysis. To do this specific sequences obtained by GBS (Genotyping by sequencing) from individuals of a mapping population obtained from the cross between a sexual (OTA-S) and a facultative apomictic (Don Walter) cultivar were used. Reads were mapped against a previously sequenced floral transcriptome of the apomictic Don Walter cv., mapping approximately 32% of the GBS reads of each individual. Then, transcripts that did not mapped on reads of the sexual hybrids and mapped on reads of all the apomictic hybrids were chosen and, based on these sequences, specific primers were designed for seven candidate transcripts. Validation was carried out with the parental genotypes of the mapping population and also with other E. curvula genotypes that were previously characterized by cytoembryology. As a result, only one set of primers could be selected that allowed to precisely differentiate plants according to its reproductive mode (closely linked to the trait), being this gene now a new candidate involved in apomictic pathways.