Project Number: 3607-21000-011-02
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 20, 2003
End Date: Aug 19, 2008

Objective:
Development of an efficient molecular marker system for germplasm classification and evaluation of herbaceous ornamental plant species focusing on Begonia and Pelargonium species. Common DNA markers of agronomic and horticultural crops will be applied onto accessions of the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center with the following objectives: 1. To identify DNA markers of agronomic and horticultural crops that could be applied to herbaceous ornamental plant species. 2. To apply the most efficient molecular markers to evaluate their effectiveness for use in duplicate identification and to study the genetic distance between accessions and species within a genus and between genera; and 3. To establish a system of DNA marker technology tha could be systemataically used to evaluate the identity and genetic relationship of new germplasm introductions of herbaceous ornamental species.

Approach:
Introduction: Ornamental plants encompass many genera and species. The thirty priority genera of the USDA Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center (OPGC) consist of about 6,700 species (Hortus Third, 1976). For example, the genus Begonia consists of some 1,500 species depending on the taxonomic authorities. There is a general lack of information on the genetics and taxonomic relationship of these species. The rationale of this research is to investigate whether DNA markers that are successfully used in agronomic and horticultural crops such as tomato, tobacco, cotton, etc. can be applied onto herbaceous ornaental species. The research also aims to identify the most efficient DNA marker systems that can be applied for large-scale screening and evaluation of ornamental plant species.