Genomic location of molecular markers associated with apomixis in Paspalum notatum

ORTIZ, JUAN P. A.; PESSINO, SILVINA C.; MARTÍNEZ, ERIC J.; QUARIN, CAMILO L.

Victoria, Australia

Congreso; Second International Symposium Molecular Breeding of Forage Crops 2000; 2000

Paspalum notatum is a subtropical forage grass that can reproduce by apomixis or sexuality. Diploids are sexual while polyploids can be either sexual or apomictic. A complete genetic linkage map of diplOid P. notatum was recently developed (Ortiz at al. 1999). The map covers 920 cM and comprises 10 linkage groups that correspond to the expected haploid chromosome number. The objective of this work was to allocate in the Paspalum map several molecular markers previously associated with apomixis in this and other species. Markers linked to apomixis in Paspalum (Martinez at al. 1999) and other Gramineae (Leblanc et aJ. 1995; Pessino et al. 1998), as well as mRNA transcripts specific of the apomictic development (Pessino at aI. 1999) were tested in the diploid mapping population. At the moment two genomic regions appeared to be of interest: chromosome 1, which included markers linked to apospory, and chromosome 4, which carried clones associated with diplospory. Further markers are still available and being localized.