Diversity in ploidy levels and nuclear DNA amounts in Korean Miscanthus species

• Published in: Euphytica 2013-10, Vol.193 (3), p.317-326
• Main Authors: Moon, Youn-Ho, Cha, Young-Lok, Choi, Yong-Hwan, Yoon, Young-Mi, Koo, Bon-Cheol, Ahn, Jong-Woong, An, Gi-Hong, Kim, Jung-Kon, Park, Kwang-Gun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biodiesel fuels; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Biomass energy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Chromosomes; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Ecosystem disturbance; Energy crops; Flow cytometry; Fluorescence; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Iodides; Life Sciences; Miscanthus; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Polyploidy; Stomata
• ISSN: 0014-2336; 1573-5060
• DOI: 10.1007/s10681-013-0910-6

Because of its high biomass productivity and nutrient-use efficiency, Miscanthus spp. have emerged as promising bioenergy crops. Polyploidism in Miscanthus species is important because it allows non-native countries to cultivate sterile types, such as triploid M.  ×  giganteus , in order to prevent ecosystem disturbance. Although M. sacchariflorus and M. sinensis are considered to be native to Korea, China, and Japan, accurate information describing the ploidy levels of these species has not yet been well established. To evaluate rough ploidy levels, 215 accessions of Miscanthus species were estimated by relative fluorescence intensities of DAPI-stained nuclei. After evaluation of rough ploidy levels, 20 plants were randomly selected by species and ploidy levels, and ploidy levels were examined by counting chromosomes, estimating propidium iodide-stained DNA content with flow cytometry, and measuring sizes of stomata and caryopsis. Among the 20 plants examined, 3 were diploid and 6 were tetraploid M. sacchariflorus (4.56 ± 0.01 and 8.90 ± 0.14 pg/2C nuclear DNA content, respectively), while 6 were diploid and 3 were triploid M. sinensis (5.40 ± 0.18 and 8.29 ± 0.33 pg/2C nuclear DNA content, respectively). One plant was a putative triploid M.  ×  giganteus having 7.31 pg/2C nuclear DNA content, which was similar to an M.  ×  giganteus plant from Illinois, USA having 7.23 pg/2C nuclear DNA content. We confirmed the occurrence of diploid and tetraploid M. sacchariflorus and M. sinensis plants as well as a putative triploid M.  ×  giganteus native to Korea. Thus, measurement of the size of stomata and caryopsis allowed prediction of ploidy levels in the field and laboratory.