Biotech Updates

The Polyester Bagging Method Proves Effective for Selfing Switchgrass

September 18, 2014
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12155-014-9528-3/fulltext.html

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has a conditional self-compatibility which can be used to produce inbreds for biomass production. However, efficient and reliable bagging methods are unavailable for development of inbreeding. Researchers from Oklahoma State University, led by Yanqi Wu, studied the efficacy of polyester bagging method to facilitate selfing in switchgrass.

The reliability of the bags was determined using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Contaminants were grouped into outcrossing contaminants (OCs) and physical contaminants (PCs). From thirty-nine polyester bags tested, 35 bags showed 100 % selfed progeny while only four showed PC. Similarly, in 61 bags tested in another season, 50 bags produced 100 % selfed progeny, four bags produced OCs, five produced PCs and the other two had both OCs and PCs. No contaminants were identified from the test in the greenhouse, suggesting that high wind speed, physical damage or handling errors may have resulted in the contaminations in the field. 

The result of this experiment establishes the reliability of the polyester bagging method over previously tested methods for selfing switchgrass.