Genetic Linkage Map And Gerplasm Evaluation In Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris Arundinacea L.)

Reed canarygrass is a perennial cool-season grass. Due to its high yield, high lignocelluloses content and high calorific value, reed canarygrass became to one of the highest potential bioenergy plants. Recently, breeders worked on breeding reed canarygrass cultivars with good bioenergy quality. The reed canarygrass breeding work moved slowly, since lacking of the genetic tools, such as genetic linkage maps, and understanding less about the bioenergy traits of reed canarygrass gerplasm. To assist the breeding work of reed canarygrass, this study focused on constructing genetic linkage maps of reed canarygrass and analyzing the bioenergy traits of its gerplasm.In the first study, the two mapping populations were both first generation (F1) which derived from four phenotypically (two for lignin content, another two for ferulate content) divergent, highly heterozygous reed canarygrass phenotypes by "two-way pseudo cross" strategy. The EST-SSR markers from tall fescue and ryegrass, TRAP markers and AFLP markers were used for constructing the genetic linkage maps. The information of the genetic linkage maps as follows,1) In population5145, the paternal (RC-45) genetic map contained65markers over20linkage groups (LGs). The total map distance of the paternal map was675.16cM, and the mean map distance between markers was10.55cM. The estimated genome size was1286.41cM, and the coverage of the map was52.5%. The maternal (RC-51) genetic map was composed of69markers over20linkage groups (LGs). The total map distance of the male map was711.26cM, and the mean map distance between markers was10.46cM. The estimated genome size was1226.57cM, and the coverage of the map was58.0%.2) In population5145, the paternal (RC-42) genetic map contained75markers over13linkage groups (LGs). The total map distance of the paternal map was421.21cM, and the mean map distance between markers was5.69cM. The maternal (RC-32) genetic map was composed of75markers over16linkage groups (LGs). The total map distance of the male map was661.76cM, and the mean map distance between markers was8.94cM.In the second study, the calibration equations of5bioenergy traits (ADF, NDF, ADL, ash and calorific value) were established, which were used to evaluate the bioenergy traits of8reed canarygrass cultivars and72reed canarygrass accessions were collected from6states of U.S. The study results as follows.1) The reed canarygrass samples collected from two locations, two years and two stages were used to establish the calibration equations of ADF, NDF, ADL, ash and calorific value. The calibration equations can be used for evaluating bioenergy traits of reed canarygrass and setting the standard of the bioenergy traits. 2) The5phenotypic traits of reed canarygrass showed the variation over two years (2006and2007) in Ithaca, NY, USA (ITH) and Arlington, WI, USA (ARL). Although the cultivars had shown the good bioenergy quality, some of the accessions also had potential to become high quality biomass. The genotype and environment interaction showed that the phenotypic traits were not affected by environment, and the genotype affected the bioenergy traits except ash.3) ADF and NDF, ADF and ADL, NDF and ADL, NDF and calorific value were all positively correlated with each other. The negative correlation was between ash and ADL, ash and calorific value. The5bioenergy traits were all positively correlated between2006and2007. Also, the5bioenergy traits were all positively correlated between ITH and ARL.4)"Marathon" and "RC-135" can be used as the breeding materials for liquid bioenergy production."Chieft, Palaton, RC-139, RC-140, RC-145"(high calorific value) and "RC-141, RC-143, RC-181, RC-185, RC-193, RC-195"(high lignin content and low ash content) can be used as the breeding materials for solid bioenergy production.