Genetic Relationships Among Members of the Fescue Grasses.

Cool-season perennial grasses could improve the livestock production and economics in the southern Great Plains. Tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh] is a major forage crop throughout the temperate regions of the world. There are three types of tall fescue; the Continental (summer-active), Mediterranean (summer-dormant) and Rhizomatous, which are suitable in specific growing areas. Meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) and tetraploid fescue (F. glaucescens) are considered as progenitors of ‘P’ and ‘G1G2’ genome in tall fescue. Atlas fescue (F. mairei) seemed to contribute in Mediterranean tall fescue genome. The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic relationship among the Fescue grasses using molecular markers. Genomic DNA was extracted from five genotypes of each of 12 entries. Equal amount (3,000 ng) of DNA of five genotypes was taken to make a bulk for each entry. A total of 296 primers, distributed though out the tall fescue genome, were assayed in the 12 entries following both the standard and touchdown PCR protocols. Of these primers, only 137 amplified clean products at least in one accession.  Eight other primers had strong products along with some non-specific amplifications. A total of 1219 distinct markers were obtained from 145 primers with an average of 8.4 markers per primer. Genetic similarity analysis, following the NTSYSpc2.1 software, separated the Fescue accessions into distinct clusters. Rhizomatous and Continental tall fescue formed a loose cluster with tetraploid fescue which is distinct from the Mediterranean tall fescue. Meadow fescue formed the most distinct cluster. Variation among accessions within each group was not very pronounced. The two Meadow fescue accessions were genetically very similar. ‘Resolute’ was different from the other two members within the Mediterranean fescue group. Sequence variations among the entries at some specific loci will be analyzed.