Tuesday, April 20, 2010 - 4:00 PM
5-06

Discovering traits controlling winter hardiness and spring regrowth in diverse switchgrass germplasm

Gautam Sarath1, Kenneth P. Vogel1, Christian Tobias2, Madhavan Soundararajan3, Paul Twigg4, Aaron J. Saathoff5, and Miki Okada2. (1) Grain, Forage, and Bioenergy Research Unit, USDA-ARS, 314 Biochemistry Hall, UN-L East Campus, Lincoln, NE 68583-0737, (2) Western Regional Research Center, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, (3) Biochemistry, University of Nebraska, N253 Beadle Center, City Campus, UN-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0664, (4) Department of Biology, University of Nebraska, Kearney, Bruner Hall, 905 W. 25th Street, Kearney, NE 68849, (5) Grain, Forage and Bioenergy Research Unit, USDA-ARS, 314 Biochemistry Hall, East Campus, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0737

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a perennial bioenergy plant that needs to survive both repeated harvests and harsh winters experienced in the Central and Northern USA.  The plant traits that control winter-hardiness are not known, but will be critical to the future development of cold-tolerant, high yielding cultivars. We have been funded through the Joint DOE-USDA granting program to uncover genes and metabolites and C and N recycling in diverse switchgrass germplasm. The objectives of this project are (Obj. 1) To use 454 sequencing, metabolite profiles and stable-isotopes to investigate molecular mechanisms underpinning nutrient partitioning and remobilization in crowns and rhizomes of 5 different strains of switchgrass plants that differ in their cold-hardiness and fitness.  Preliminary data from initial 454 sequencing and 13C-labeling experiments currently underway will be presented. (Obj. 2) To use HTS to query transcript abundance (levels of gene expression) in specific populations of switchgrass plants during regreening and dormancy. We will use HTS and bioinformatics to discover additional genes impacting fitness using individual plants from switchgrass populations divergently selected over ~30 years for ruminant digestibility that differ significantly for winter survival. (Obj.3) To study the genetic variation (extent of linkage disequilibrium in populations) and eventually develop genetic markers for cold-adaptation and fitness traits in switchgrass plants being developed for Central and Northern USA that show significant hybrid vigor (heterosis), using over 2000 plants from various genetic backgrounds have been planted in the field for these analyses. Some preliminary data collected during 2009 and early 2010 will be presented. 

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