Centre of Plant Structural and
Functional Genomics
of the Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR

We used androgenesis in vitro to reduce ploidy level in tetraploid hybrids (L. multiflorum × F. pratensis and L. perenne × F. pratensis) and tetraploid L. multiflorum. Obtained diploids have higher potential to be used as turf breeding material.

Kopecky, D., Lukaszewski, A.J. and Gibeault, V. (2005). Reduction of ploidy level by androgenesis in intergeneric Lolium-Festuca hybrids for turf grass breeding. Crop Science 45: 274-281.

Using BAC clones and rDNAs, we have initiated the project on the identification of individual chromosomes of F. pratensis using cytogenetic markers. We identified 1G18 BAC clone and two rDNAs (45S-rDNA and 5S-rDNA) which enable the identification of all seven F. pratensis chromosomes.

Kopecký, D., Lukaszewski, A.J. and Doležel, J. (2008). Cytogenetics of Festulolium (Festuca × Lolium hybrids). Cytogenetics and Genome Research 120: 370-383.

Kopecký, D., Lukaszewski, A.J. and Doležel, J. (2008). Meiotic behavior of individual chromosomes of Festuca pratensis in tetraploid Lolium multiflorum. Chromosome Research 16: 987-998.