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a Dep. of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520
b Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment, Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520
* Corresponding author (belanger{at}aesop.rutgers.edu).
| ABSTRACT |
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Abbreviations: PCR, polymerase chain reaction
| INTRODUCTION |
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Some Agrostis spp. are important turfgrasses and are used extensively on golf courses. Creeping bentgrass is the major species used on golf greens and fairways in temperate climates (Warnke, 2003). Colonial bentgrass and velvet bentgrass are also occasionally used (Brilman, 2003; Ruemmele, 2003). Each species has traits such as susceptibility to particular diseases and to drought and heat stress, which are being addressed in current academic and commercial breeding programs (Meyer and Belanger, 1997). Improvements in some of these traits may be possible through interspecific hybridization.
Hybrids between various Agrostis spp., identified as having intermediate characteristics, have been reported to occur in nature (Stuckey and Banfield, 1946; Bradshaw, 1958; Edgar and Forde, 1991). The most extensive investigation into interspecific hybridization among Agrostis spp. was done in the 1950s by Jones. Hybrids among creeping bentgrass, colonial bentgrass, and A. gigantea Roth (redtop bentgrass) were examined for chromosome pairing at metaphase 1 of meiosis (Jones, 1956a,b,c). Jones proposed a model for genome organization in these Agrostis spp., which is summarized in Table 1. Some Agrostis spp. were considered to be allopolyploids having some ancestral genomes in common.
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The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency of interspecific hybridization between creeping bentgrass and colonial bentgrass, velvet bentgrass, redtop bentgrass, and dryland bentgrass (A. castellana Boiss. and Reut.) under optimum conditions. Dryland bentgrass and redtop bentgrass are used as low maintenance turfgrasses and seed of both is commercially produced (Brede and Sellmann, 2003). The chromosome numbers of the Agrostis spp. investigated range from 14 to 42 (Table 1; Nelson, 1985). To obtain an assessment of the maximum biological potential for hybridization, flowering times were artificially manipulated and crosses were done under greenhouse conditions. Transgenic creeping bentgrass plants expressing the bar gene (Hartman et al., 1994; Lee et al., 1996), which confers resistance to the herbicide glufosinate [2-amino-4-(hydroxymethylphosphinyl)butanoic acid], were used as the pollen parents. Transfer of the herbicide resistance transgene to progeny harvested from the nontransgenic Agrostis spp. was used to identify hybrids. Here we report on the frequency of hybridization and the fertility of the hybrids recovered.
| MATERIALS AND METHODS |
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Velvet bentgrass seed was from the Western Regional Plant Introduction Station, Pullman, WA (PI 189141). Dryland bentgrass cv. Highland and redtop bentgrass cv. Streaker were from Great Western Seed Company, Albany, OR. Colonial bentgrass was from the Western Regional Plant Introduction Center (PI 171470, PI 172698, PI 252045, PI 494120) and from Seed Research, Inc., Corvallis, OR.
Individual seedlings of the nontransgenic Agrostis spp. were established in the greenhouse. Agrostis spp. require vernalization for flower induction. In July 1997, a nursery plot of the transgenic creeping bentgrass and the nontransgenic Agrostis spp. was established for use in crossing in spring 1998.
Crosses and Screening for Hybrids
There is variation in the seasonal timing of flowering in different species of Agrostis. To ensure that flowers of comparable developmental stages would be available from the various species, flowering was induced in some plants of each species by moving them into a containment greenhouse maintained under long days (18 h). Beginning in April 1998, individual plants of each species were transferred to the containment greenhouse at weekly intervals. The temperature during the day was 18 to 21°C and at night was 15 to 18°C.
For crossing, panicles of unopened flowers of a transgenic and nontransgenic plant of similar developmental stage were enclosed in bags constructed from interfacing material obtained from a local fabric store. Only the panicles from the nontransgenic parent were harvested. For each cross, the nontransgenic parent plant originated from a single seed and thus represents a unique genotype. Ten to 13 different nontransgenic plants for each species were used in the crosses. By setting up multiple crosses we could be assured of testing the hybridization potential of different genotypes within each species.
Seeds obtained from the crosses were surface sterilized and plated on solidified Murashige and Skoog basal medium (Gibco BRL, Gaithersburg, MD) supplemented with 1 mL L-1 1000X Gamborg's Vitamin Powder (Sigma, St. Louis, MO), 100 mg L-1 myo-inositol (1,2,3,4,5,6-cyclohexanehexol), and 30 g L-1 sucrose (1-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-2-beta-D-fructofranoside) in 100- by 25-mm Petri dishes. The dishes were placed at 4°C for 1 wk and then moved to a lighted growth chamber at 25°C for germination. When the plants were
2- to 3-cm tall they were transplanted into 96 well flats in the greenhouse.
After
4 wk of establishment in the greenhouse, the plants were sprayed with the commercial herbicide Finale (AgrEvo Environmental Health, Montvale, NJ) at a final concentration of glufosinate of 0.35%. Plants that survived the spray were repotted and maintained in the greenhouse. The surviving plants were later sprayed again to confirm that they were herbicide resistant.
Hybrid Fertility
To assess the fertility of the recovered hybrids, a nursery plot of the hybrids was established in September 1999 to allow vernalization through the winter. In the spring of 2000, three individuals from each hybrid type were transferred from the nursery to 32-cm-diameter plastic pots and open pollinated crossing blocks were established. Each hybrid plant was placed in the center and surrounded by three nontransgenic creeping bentgrass plants and three nontransgenic plants of the other Agrostis parental species. The crossing blocks were spaced 30 feet apart from each other. The design of the crossing blocks was intended to maximize the chance for crossing. All plants for each crossing block were chosen based on having panicles at the same developmental stage. All of the plants were checked and confirmed to be shedding pollen at the same time.
Seed from all plants were harvested individually and screened in the greenhouse for herbicide-resistant progeny. For screening, all the seed obtained from each plant was sown into 28- by 54-cm flats of commercial potting mix (Pro-Mix, Premier Brands Inc., Red Hill, PA). After 3 to 4 wk of growth, the seedlings were sprayed with Finale as described above. Approximately 2 wk after the spray, a representative sample was counted for survivors and dead plants.
Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was used to confirm the presence of the bar gene in some of the interspecific hybrids. DNA was isolated from leaf blades as previously described (Reddy et al., 1996). The primers used were designed to amplify a 446-base-pair region of the bar coding sequence. The primer sequences were 5'TGCACCATCGTCAACCACTACATC3' and 5'AGGCTGAAGTCCAGCTGCCAGAAA3'. Polymerase chain reactions were performed in a total volume of 50 µL. Each reaction contained 1 U of Elongase Enzyme Mix (Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, MD), 20 pmol of each primer, 200 µM deoxynucleotide triphosphates, 1.4 mM MgCl2, and 100 ng of total genomic DNA. Polymerase chain reaction cycling parameters were 35 cycles of 30-s denaturation at 94°C, 45-s annealing at 60°C, and 120-s extension at 68°C. Polymerase chain reaction products were analyzed by electrophoresis in 1% (w/v) agarose gels.
| RESULTS |
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The transgenic hybrids were identified as plants that survived two rounds of spraying with glufosinate. To confirm the presence of the bar gene, DNA was isolated from randomly selected hybrid individuals and subjected to PCR analysis. The herbicide-resistant phenotype of the hybrids was correlated with the presence of the bar gene for all samples tested (Fig. 1). No amplification was detected in nontransgenic plants of the four Agrostis spp. used. (Fig. 1A, lanes 710).
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The recovery of herbicide-resistant progeny from the nontransgenic plants in the crossing blocks indicated pollination from the central transgenic hybrid plant. As expected, pollination of the nontransgenic plants in the crossing blocks was mainly from other nontransgenic plants of the same species, so most of the progeny harvested from them were not herbicide resistant. There was variation in the ability of the different hybrid types to pollinate their parental species. All four hybrid types were capable of backcrossing to creeping bentgrass. The hybrids between creeping bentgrass and velvet bentgrass or dryland bentgrass did not, however, backcross readily with velvet bentgrass or dryland bentgrass, respectively. The hybrids between creeping bentgrass and colonial bentgrass or redtop bentgrass did backcross readily to both parental species.
Overall, the results indicate all the transgenic hybrids tested had some level of fertility, both through the egg and the pollen, but there was considerable variation in the potential for crossing. In addition to the variation observed in fertility among the hybrid types, there was variation in fertility among the hybrids within each type. The objective of the crossing blocks was to determine if the hybrids had any fertility, not to compare their level of fertility with that of the parental species. Such comparisons, as well as assessments of self-compatibility and levels of backcrossing, will need to be determined from controlled crosses. However, the data presented here show that the Agrostis hybrids can be fertile and that they can be backcrossed to the parental species. For future use of interspecific hybridization in Agrostis breeding programs, a herbicide-resistance gene will be a useful tool in hybrid identification.
| DISCUSSION |
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In a companion study investigating the potential for interspecific hybridization of transgenic creeping bentgrass under field conditions, a low level of hybrids was recovered from colonial bentgrass and dryland bentgrass (Belanger et al., 2003). No hybrids were recovered with velvet bentgrass or redtop bentgrass. This is certainly because of the fact that, under field conditions, there was no overlap in flowering time between the creeping bentgrass and these two species. Wipff and Fricker (2001) reported a similar low recovery of interspecific hybrids of creeping bentgrass with other Agrostis spp. under open-pollinated conditions.
Our data emphasize the importance of a selection method for identification of any hybrids produced. An easily screenable phenotype, such as the herbicide resistance trait used here, makes hybrid identification simple. Other methods could also be used, such as the development of molecular markers specific for either parent. Progeny from interspecific crosses could then be screened by PCR to identify hybrids and eliminate selfs.
Although interspecific hybridization between creeping bentgrass and other Agrostis spp. occurs at low frequencies, it may be a useful new method that could be implemented in Agrostis breeding programs. Creeping bentgrass is generally quite susceptible to the fungal disease dollar spot caused by Sclerotinia homoeocarpa F.T. Bennett, whereas colonial bentgrass has good resistance (Plumley et al., 2000). Conversely, colonial bentgrass generally is quite susceptible to brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani Kühn), whereas creeping bentgrass has good resistance. Interspecific hybridization between creeping bentgrass and colonial bentgrass and backcrossing to each parental species may be a way of improving the disease resistance of both species. These two species have the same chromosome number, which may make introgression of the desirable genes from interspecific hybrids feasible. In a field test, some of the hybrids recovered between creeping bentgrass and colonial bentgrass were found to have excellent dollar spot resistance (Belanger, Bonos, and Meyer, 2002, unpublished data). Such dollar-spot-resistant hybrids may offer opportunities for cultivar improvement through gene introgression and for identification of the resistance genes involved.
| ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
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Received for publication August 1, 2002.
| REFERENCES |
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