Cytogenetic relationships within the Maghrebian clade of Festuca subgen. Schedonorus (Poaceae), using flow cytometry and FISH

Ezquerro-López, D., Kopecký, D., Inda, L.Á.
ANALES DEL JARDIN BOTÁNICO DE MADRID 74: e052, 2017

Keywords: Broad-leaved fescues, Festuca subgen. Schedonorus, FISH, genome size, rDNA
Abstract: Festuca subgen. Schedonorus is a group of broad-leaved fescues, which can be divided into two clades: European and Maghrebian. We employed fluorescent in situ hybridization —FISH— with probes specific for 5S and 35S ribosomal DNA and genome size estimation using flow cytometry to shed light on the determination of possible parental genomes of polyploid species of the Maghrebian clade. Our results indicate that octoploid F.arundinacea subsp. atlantigena probably originated from crossing ofthe tetraploids F. arundinacea subsp. fenas —2n = 4x = 28— and F. mairei—2n = 4x = 28— followed by whole genome duplication. However, alarge reconstruction of karyotype and genome downsizing has beenrevealed. Similarly, hexaploid F. arundinacea subsp. corsica presumablyresulted from the interspecific hybridization of the diploid F. pratensisand tetraploid F. arundinacea subsp. fenas. Several scenarios on the origin of decaploid F. arundinacea var. letourneuxiana are discussed. Thisstudy contributed to our knowledge on the phylogeny of broad-leavedfescues and provided new information on the karyotypes —chromosomenumbers, ploidy levels and numbers and positions of rDNA loci— usingFISH and genome size estimations using flow cytometry in selected taxaof this important grass genus.
DOI: 10.3989/ajbm.2455
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IEB authors: David Kopecky