THE INTERNATIONAL Lolium GENOME INITIATIVE

Plant Biotechnology Centre Agriculture Victoria and CRC for Molecular Plant Breeding, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia

The International Lolium Genome Initiative has been established in order to coordinate molecular marker development and implementation in ryegrasses on a international basis. The foundation institutions of ILGI are: Agriculture Victoria, Australia; Yamanashi Prefectural Dairy Experimental Station, Japan; Hokkaido University, Japan; National Grassland Research Institute, Japan; Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, United Kingdom; Centre for Plant Breeding and Reproduction Research (CPRO-DLO), Netherlands; Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Denmark; Agricultural University of Norway, Norway; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), France; Oregon State University, USA; University of Missouri, USA. The initiative will provide access to a framework marker set for whole genome QTL mapping screens and will allow the determination of the syntenic relationships between the genome of perennial ryegrass and those of other pasture grasses (Italian ryegrass, tall fescue, meadow fescue) and cereals (rice, maize, wheat etc.) in order to access cross-species genetic, biochemical and physiological data. Full disclosure of mapping information for reference genetic mapping families will be made between the participating members. The p150/112 mapping family will be used as the international reference population for marker assignment, with the aim of a genetic map of at least 800 loci by the year 2001. An ILGI database will be established. The mapping information will be in the public domain but will not affect the intellectual property aspects of the use of markers to 'tag' individual agronomically important genes. The current status of ILGI will be described.