Submitted to: Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: July 30, 2005
Publication Date: N/A
Interpretive Summary: Characterization of plant species is important in germplasm collection and improvement. In this study, we used molecular or DNA markers to characterize 17 wild wheat (Aegilop) and 17 wild barley (Hordeum) species maintained at the USDA National Small Grains Collection in Aberdeen, ID. Eight markers produced different DNA patterns in wild wheat species and 24 markers generated various DNA patterns in wild barley species. We classified these species into different groups based on their genetic structure or genome similarity. Two molecular markers were able to differentiate among the species individually. These markers will be used in future studies of accessions in the small grains collection.
Technical Abstract: Intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) and general amplification primers were used to study the genetic diversity among 17 Aegilops and 17 Hordeum species. Twenty four primers were selected for the study. Eight of the primers generated 102 polymorphic bands in Aegilops and all of the 24 primers produced 247 polymorphisms in Hordeum accessions. General primers were able to differentiate among Aegilops and Hordeum species. Cluster analysis of the similarity coefficients indicated that species sharing a common genome tended to group into a defined cluster(s), while species with a unique genome were obviously dissimilar. DNA analysis utilizing ISSR and general sequence DNA primers has the potential for use in phylogenetic studies of wild wheat and barley species