Agricultural Research Service Date Issued: February 22, 2000 Abstract: Agricultural Research Service and University of Georgia scientists have identified genetic markers (like a bookmark)--pieces of DNA that help to locate a specific gene--for identifying asexual-specific (apospory-specific) genes in the Pennisetum plant genus. Reproduction in plants is ordinarily classified as sexual or asexual. Sexual plant reproduction requires both male and female plant spores. Asexual traits enable a female plant to produce seedling offspring that are identical to itself without requiring the egg to be fertilized. The seedling plants are an exact copy of the mother. This technology will allow plant breeders to obtain quality seeds from the same plant year after year. These markers will be useful for conventional and transgenic plant breeding. Inventors: Wayne W. Hanna Crop Genetics and Breeding Tifton, Georgia 31793-9748 (912) 386-3177 / Fax: (912) 391-3701 E-mail: forage@tifton.cpes.peachnet.edu Peggy Ozias-Akins Georgia Coastla Plain Experiment Station Tifton, Georgia 31793 (912) 386-3902 / Fax: (912) 386-7005 Dominique Roche University of Georgia Department of Horticulture Tifton, Georgia 31793 (912) 386-3961 * S.N. 09/458,939, filed on December 10, 1999, is a continuation of Patent No. 6,028,185.