The latest progress in sugarcane molecular genetics research at the USDA-ARS, Sugarcane Research Laboratory

Authors: Pan, Yong-Bao

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/8/2014
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In 2005, two sugar molecular genetics tools were developed in the USDA-ARS, Southeast Area, Sugarcane Research Laboratory at Houma, LA. One is the high throughput fluorescence- and capillary electrophoregrams (CE)-based SSR genotyping tool and the other is single pollen collection and SSR genotyping tool. Using these tools, remarkable progresses have been achieved in the last few years in the following areas: 1) construction of a sugarcane molecular identity database, 2) construction of a genetic linkage map of Cultivar LCP 85-384, and 3) inheritance of SSR markers. Some progress has also been made on assessing the nucleotide sequence variability of the chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) between cultivated sugarcane and its wild progenitor species S. spontaneum. Species-specific mutation sites such as insertion, deletion, or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were identified. These research developments will help safeguard breeding lines and cultivars by clone- and cultivar-specific alleles, identify trait-associated molecular markers, predict potential progeny class and frequency, and improve the overall efficiency of conventional sugarcane breeding.