Plant & Animal Genomes XV Conference

January 13-17, 2007
Town & Country Convention Center
San Diego, CA

Mapping And Marker Development For Energy Crops: Progress On Switchgrass And The Model Grass Brachypodium distachyon

John P. Vogel¹ , Christian M. Tobias¹ , Daniel, M. Hayden¹ , Yong Q. Gu¹ , Gerard R. Lazo¹ , David F. Garvin² , Michael W. Bevan³ , Todd C. Mockler⁴ , Elaine K. Chow¹ , Olin D. Anderson¹

¹  USDA-ARS Western Regional Research Center, 800 Buchanan St., Albany, CA, 94710 USA

²  USDA-ARS Plant Science Research Unit and Dept. of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, 411 Borlaug Hall, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108

³  John Innes Centre, Colney Lane, Norwich NR4 7UJ, UK

⁴  Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA

The development of dedicated energy crops is still in the early stages. While grasses such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) have been shown to deliver high yields under a variety of conditions, they have not been bred extensively for the characteristics most desirable in energy crops. Indeed, current cultivars are very similar to their wild parents. Using the domestication of food crops as a yardstick, there is tremendous opportunity to improve the yield and quality of dedicated energy crops. Molecular markers and genetic maps will be used to speed the domestication of these new crops. One direct application is the use of the switchgrass genetic map for marker assisted selection. Another more indirect use of markers and mapping is through the use of a grass model system (Brachypodium distachyon) to identify genes controlling traits relevant to energy crops. That knowledge will then be used to guide the development of superior energy crops through both marker assisted selection and biotechnology. Early results on developing switchgrass and Brachypodium markers and maps will be presented.