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Wild sorghum from different eco-geographic regions of Kenya display a mixed mating system

Theoretical and Applied Genetics volume 122, pages 1631–1639 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

Knowledge of mating systems is required in order to understand the genetic composition and evolutionary potential of plant populations. Outcrossing in a population may co-vary with the ecological and historical factors influencing it. However, literature on the outcrossing rate is limited in terms of wild sorghum species coverage and eco-geographic reference. This study investigated the outcrossing rates in wild sorghum populations from different ecological conditions of Kenya. Twelve wild sorghum populations were collected in four sorghum growing regions. Twenty-four individuals per population were genotyped using six polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to compute their indirect equilibrium estimates of outcrossing rate as well as population structure. In addition, the 12 populations were planted in a field in a randomised block design with five replications. Their progeny (250 individuals per population) were genotyped with the six SSR markers to estimate multi-locus outcrossing rates. Equilibrium estimates of outcrossing rates ranged from 7.0 to 75.0%, while multi-locus outcrossing rates (t m) ranged from 8.9 to 70.0% with a mean of 49.7%, indicating that wild sorghum exhibits a mixed mating system. The wide range of estimated outcrossing rates in wild sorghum populations indicate that environmental conditions may exist under which fitness is favoured by outcrossing and others under which selfing is more advantageous. The genetic structure of the populations studied is concordant with that expected for a species displaying mixed mating system.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Biotechnology and Biodversity Interface Program (BBI; Dr. Fabrice Sagnard), the Institute of plant Breeding and Population Genetics at the University of Hohenheim, Germany, and Germany Academic Exchange Service (DAAD: A0523923). USAID-BBI funded field experiments and collection trips. University of Hohenheim, Institute of plant Breeding Seed Science, and Population Genetics, Germany, provided laboratory infrastructure and consumables for genotyping work. We are grateful to Kenya Agricultural Research Institute and Ben Kanyenji who supervised the collection of genetic materials [in full compliance with regulations according to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)], planting and data collection in the field (KARI-Kiambere).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Corrensstrasse 3, 06466, Gatersleben, Germany

    Moses M. Muraya

  2. Institute of Plant Breeding, Seed Science and Population Genetics, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstrasse 21, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany

    Moses M. Muraya, Hartwig H. Geiger & Heiko K. Parzies

  3. CIRAD, UMR Développement et Amélioration des Plantes, c/o ILRI, P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya

    Fabrice Sagnard

  4. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT-Nairobi), P.O. Box 39063-00623, Nairobi, Kenya

    Evans Mutegi, Santie M. de Villiers, Fabrice Sagnard & Dan Kiambi

  5. Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) National Genebank, P.O. Box 30148-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Evans Mutegi

  6. Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI-Embu), P.O. Box 27-60100, Embu, Kenya

    Ben M. Kanyenji

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  1. Moses M. Muraya
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Correspondence to Moses M. Muraya.

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Communicated by X. Xia.

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Muraya, M.M., Mutegi, E., Geiger, H.H. et al. Wild sorghum from different eco-geographic regions of Kenya display a mixed mating system. Theor Appl Genet 122, 1631–1639 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-011-1560-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-011-1560-5

Keywords

  • Sorghum
  • Mating System
  • Simple Sequence Repeat Marker
  • Outcrossing Rate
  • Wild Sorghum

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