CRIS Project Title:  
Genetic Enhancement of Turfgrass Germplasm For Reduced Input Sustainability

INTRODUCTION:  
Conducts research on the genetics of plants used as turfgrasses.  Identifies and develops enhanced germplasm from wild species that express improved biotic and abiotic stress resistance.  Develops improved turfgrasses through the use of new technologies such as embryo rescue, molecular markers and genomics.

PROGRESS:  
Research in the last three years included: 1) the generation of AFLP markers in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifiera) to evaluate chromosome pairing behavior; 2) Expressed Sequence Tag sequencing of creeping and colonial bentgrass cDNA libraries and the isolation of EST SSR markers for genetic map development and genetic diversity evaluation; 3) Evaluation of tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceae) EST SSR markers for genetic diversity assessment. 4) The evaluation of transposable elements in creeping and colonial bentgrass for genetic mapping and species separation.

PLANS:   
Continue to investigate the genome relationships of the common cool-season turfgrass species in the U.S.  Develop new creeping bentgrass populations with improved dollar spot resistance through the use of marker-assisted selection.  Continue to evaluate the genetic diversity of Tall Fescue.  Identify and develop new grass species for use as low maintenance turfgrass.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS (2001-present):

Barker, R.E., J.A. Kilgore, R.L. Cook, A.E. Garay, and S.E. Warnke.  2001.   Use of flow cytometry to determine ploidy level of ryegrass.  Seed Sci. & Technol., 29:493-502.

Warnke S.E., R.E. Barker, L.A. Brilman, W.C. Young III, and R.L. Cook.  2002.   Inheritance of superoxide dismutase (Sod-1) in a perennial X annual ryegrass cross and its allelic distribution among cultivars.  Theor Appl Genet 105:1146-1150.

Warnke S.E.  2003. Creeping bentgrass. p.175-185 In M.D. Casler and R.R. Duncan (ed.) Turfgrass Biology, Genetics, and Breeding.  John Wiley & Sons, Inc.  Hoboken, New Jersey. USA.

Warnke, S.E., R.E. Barker, Geunhwa Jung, Sung-Chur Sim, M.A. Rouf Mian, M.C. Saha, L.A. Brilman, M.P. Dupal, J.W. Forster.  2004.  Genetic linkage mapping of an annual X perennial ryegrass population. Theor Appl. Genet. 109:294-304

Sim S., Chang T., Curley J., Warnke S.E., Barker R.E., Jung G.  2005   RFLP Marker Based Analysis of Large-Scale Chromosomal Rearrangements Differentiating the Lolium Genome From Other Poaceae Species Theor Appl Genet. 110:1011-1019.

Curley, J., Sim, S.C., Warnke, S.E., Leong, S.A., Barker, R.E., Jung, G.  2005.  Genetic variability and QTL mapping of resistance to gray leaf spot in ryegrass.  Theor Appl. Genet.  111:1107-1117.

Chakraborty, N, Bae, J, Warnke, S, Chang, T and Jung, G.  2005.  Linkage map construction in allotetraploid creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.)  Theor. Appl. Genet. 111:795-803.

Barker R.E., Warnke S.E., and Brown R.N.  2005   Genetic Variability Among Intermediate Ryegrass Seed Lots and Cultivars Detected by RAPD.  Analysis.International Turfgrass Society Research Journal 10:490-494.

Brown R.N., Barker R.E., Warnke S.E., Brilman L.A., Mian Rouf M.A., Jung G., and Sim S.  2005.   QTL Analysis for Morphological Traits Useful in Distinguishing Annual Ryegrass and Turf-type Perennial Ryegrass.  International Turfgrass Society Research Journal. 10:515-524

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