Development and characterization of microsatellite molecular markers for genetic analysis of Panicum maximum

• Grant number: 12/10087-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2012
• End date: June 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Crop Science
• Principal Investigator: Anete Pereira de Souza
• Grantee: Sthéphanie Louise Cavalcanti de Brito
• Host Institution: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Panicum maximum Jacq. is an exotic species introduced from East Africa belonging to the family Poaceae. The species is predominantly apomictic tetraploid with 8 chromosomes (4n = 32).Panicum maximum Jacq. is propagated by seeds of grasses commonly used as pasture in tropical countries, highlighting to result in high animal productivity, mainly because of its resistance to overgrazing and predation. Brazil has breeding programs Panicummaximum in development, but there are few available cultivars in Brazil, the three cultivars most commercialized in the country are the result of the selection of accessions analyzed and tested in evaluation and driving field. The growing expansion of agribusiness illustrates the importance of studies that contribute to the improvement of this forage. Thus, this project aims to characterize and validate microsatellite molecular markers to assist in the construction of a molecular genetic map for Panicum maximum.(AU)