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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Crop Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #185285
Title: REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION AND INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDIZATION IN THE GENUS SORGHUM

Author
item PRICE, H.J. - TAMU DEPT OF SOIL & CROP
item HODNETT, G.L. - TAMU DEPT OF SOIL & CROP
item Burson, Byron
item KUHLMAN, L.C. - TAMU DEPT OF SOIL & CROP
item STELLY, D.M. - TAMU DEPT OF SOIL & CROP
item RONNEY, W.L. - TAMU DEPT OF SOIL & CROP

Submitted to: Botanical Society of America Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/25/2005
Publication Date: 8/3/2005
Citation: Price, H., Hodnett, G., Burson, B.L., Kuhlman, L., Stelly, D., Ronney, W. 2005. Reproductive isolation and interspecific hybridization in the genus Sorghum [abstract]. Botanical Society of America. Paper No. 113-71.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The genus Sorghum has 25 species forming two lineages: one with 2n=10 relatively large genome species and polyploid relatives (subgenera Para-sorghum and Stiposorghum); the other with 2n=20 and 2n=40 species with smaller genomes (subgenera Eu-sorghum, Chaetosorghum, Heterosorghum). Strong reproductive isolation barriers have prevented successful hybridization of S. bicolor with any Sorghum species classified in the subgenera other than Eu-sorghum. Pollen-pistil incompatibility is the primary reason why hybrids can not be produced. There is a reduction of alien pollen germination and tube growth in sorghum pistils. This incompatibility mechanism was overcome by using a S. bicolor genotype that allows growth of pollen tubes of alien Sorghum species. Hybrids have been recovered after dusting the stigmas of S. bicolor with pollen from diverse species such as S. angustum, S. nitidum, and S. macrospermum. Analysis of chromosome pairing in the S. bicolor x S. macrospermum hybrid showed homology between the two species. This, along with additional cytogenetic, morphological, and DNA sequence comparisons support the hypothesis that S. bicolor is phylogenetically closer to S. macrospermum than it is to species of the subgenera Para-sorghum and Stiposorghum.