Selection of AFLP markers linked with crown rust resistance in Lolium: efficiency of bulk segregant analysis in an Allogamous species

Abstract

Ryegrasses are important forage species. An important foliar disease in Lolium is crown rust, caused by the fungus Pucciniacoronata. This cosmopolitan biotrophic fungus causes forage and seed losses, and decoloration of amenity grasslands.In breeding towards resistant cultivars, it is important to know the mode of inheritance of crown rust resistance. A paircross between a susceptible and a resistant plant resulted in a F1 population segregating for rust resistance. According tothe segregation data, major genes were assumed to encode for crown rust resistance. In a bulk segregant analysis (BSA)187 primer combinations revealed AFLP markers linked with resistance. Two groups of genetically unlinked markerswere identified, explaining together 35% of the phenotypic variation.

Keywords

• l. perenne
• puccinia coronata
• bsa
• molecular markers