Location: Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research
Project Number: 8062-22410-007-012-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2018
End Date: Jul 31, 2023
Objective:
Create a linkage map for capitula trait characteristics of the Centaurea x moncktonii hybrid complex to determine the genetic basis of this distinguishing characteristic, determine the population growth rate of marked populations of spotted and meadow knapweed, determine how factors such as habitat and species identity affect population demography, and determine which life-stages should be the target of biological control to limit population spread.
Approach:
Conduct controlled crosses of F1 plants in the greenhouse to produce F2 offspring. Offspring will be grown to flowering and measured for various physical and developmental traits. DNA will be extracted and used to create multiplexed genotype-by-sequencing libraries for SNP genotyping. A linkage map for QTL mapping of traits important to invasiveness will be produced. Data on survival, growth and fecundity of marked field plants of various life stages of spotted and meadow knapweed, collected over three transition years, will be subjected to matrix model techniques to determine transition probabilities, population growth rates, and which life stages should be targeted for control.
