Identification of Russian festulolium varieties using microsatellite markers

The use of modern molecular genetic technologies can accelerate significantly the breeding process, simplify and increase the accuracy of the initial material evaluation, improve the state variety testing system when registering new breeding achievements. The purpose of the research is the molecular genetic identification of Russian varieties of festulolium (× Festulolium F. Aschers. et Graebn.) using microsatellite markers. In our study 6 SSR loci, that were developed on the base of information about the genome of perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.), were used to analyze a collection of 10 Russian varieties of festulolium represented by “bulk samplesˮ (30 genotypes from each variety). Informative combinations of SSR primers (G03_089, AJ872206, LP165) with capacity to generate distinct and reproducible amplicons were selected. In total, 31 polymorphic PCR products were detected using these loci. The obtained data were used to compile binary matrices and to determine the genetic distances between the studied samples. Phylogenetic relationships between festulolium varieties were studied using a NJ dendrogram (Neighbor-Joining method). Following the results of the dendrogram analyzed samples were distributed into three distinct clusters according to their origin, morphological type and economically valuable characteristics. Based on the variety-specific DNA profiles molecular-genetic formulas were developed. Using 2 SSR loci (G03_089, AJ872206) specific PCR products were detected for 5 festulolium samples (Piligrim, Kafes, VIC 90, Aelita, Izumrudniy). At the same time unique DNA profiles were identified for every variety from the analyzed collection. The results of the study have practical signifycance for application in varietal identification in order to control the genetic variability of festulolium varieties and for protection of the breeder’s copyrights.