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Genetic characterisation of seed yield and fertility traits in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

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Abstract

Seed yield is a trait of major interest for the key grassland species Lolium perenne L. An F2 mapping population of perennial ryegrass (VrnA), recently characterised for vernalisation response, was assessed in a glasshouse for traits related to seed yield based on a lattice design with four replications over 2 years. The traits heading date, plant height, length of panicles, number of panicles per plant, seed yield per panicle, flag leaf length, flag leaf width and seed yield per plant revealed repeatabilities ranging from 41 to 76% and a considerable amount of genetic variation in the VrnA population. Path analysis partitioned the direct and indirect effects of seed yield components on seed yield per plant. Seed yield per panicle showed the highest effect on total seed yield. The adjusted mean values of each trait and a genetic linkage map consisting of 97 anonymous and 85 gene associated DNA markers were used for quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. Of particular interest were two QTL on linkage group (LG) 1 and LG 2, explaining 41 and 18%, respectively, of the observed phenotypic variation for the trait seed yield per panicle. Both QTL co-located with two major QTL for total seed yield per plant possibly representing the S and Z loci of the gametophytic self incompatibility (SI) system of perennial ryegrass. The diversity of SI alleles in mapping parents and the degree of heterozygosity at SI loci in the full sib progeny determines the interference of self incompatibility with seed production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Research Centre Flakkebjerg, University of Aarhus, Forsøgsvej 1, 4200, Slagelse, Denmark

    Bruno Studer, Louise Bach Jensen, Stephan Hentrup & Thomas Lübberstedt

  2. Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Instituto av. 1, 58344, Akademija, Kedainiai, Lithuania

    Gintaras Brazauskas

  3. Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon Research Station ART, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046, Zurich, Switzerland

    Roland Kölliker

  4. Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, 1204 Agronomy Hall, 50011, Ames, IA, USA

    Thomas Lübberstedt

Authors
  1. Bruno Studer
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  2. Louise Bach Jensen
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  3. Stephan Hentrup
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  4. Gintaras Brazauskas
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  5. Roland Kölliker
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  6. Thomas Lübberstedt
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Correspondence to Bruno Studer.

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Communicated by Y. Xue.

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Studer, B., Jensen, L.B., Hentrup, S. et al. Genetic characterisation of seed yield and fertility traits in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Theor Appl Genet 117, 781–791 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-008-0819-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-008-0819-y

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