Understanding Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of a Poa pratensis Worldwide Collection through Morphological, Nuclear and Chloroplast Diversity Analysis.

ABSTRACT: Poa pratensis L. is a forage and turf grass species well adapted to a wide range of mesic to moist habitats. Due to its genome complexity little is known regarding evolution, genome composition and intraspecific phylogenetic relationships of this species. In the present study we investigated the morphological and genetic diversity of 33 P. pratensis accessions from 23 different countries using both nuclear and chloroplast molecular markers as well as flow cytometry of somatic tissues. This with the aim of shedding light on the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of the collection that includes both cultivated and wild materials. Morphological characterization showed that the most relevant traits able to distinguish cultivated from wild forms were spring growth habit and leaf c

SUBMITTER: Raggi L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4404055 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature