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2. GOALS
The aim of this research was to review the evolution within the genus Lolium using the
broad spectrum of biometrical methods and high throughput molecular technologies. For the
first time, the population genetic and phylogenetic methodologies were combined with genetic
mapping in order to elucidate the relationships between two botanical species L. multiflorum
and L. perenne and determine whether they can be regarded as distinct biological species.
Besides commonly known technologies, own marker systems were offered. Additionally the
other members of “Core Pooids” i.e., Poeae, Aveneae and Triticeae were compared with
seven Lolium species in order to estimate the level of similarity between Lolium and the other
representatives of grasses. To reach the overall goal the following objectives were set up:
2.1. To quantify the level of differentiation between two botanical taxa, L. multiflorum
and L. perenne
Morphological variation in cultivars and ecotypes and influence of breeding activities
on species differentiation were estimated using multivariate methods. A wide variety of molecular
markers was used in order to estimate genetic variation and genetic similarity of both
species. Moreover, the attempts were undertaken to clarify the early stages of evolution of
L. multiflorum and L. perenne and their postglacial history based on transposons and organelle
DNA. The origin of seedling root fluorescence in the genus Lolium was clarified.
2.2. To analsze the level of reproductive boundaries between L. multiflorum
and L. perenne on the basis of genetic maps
To study a reproductive barrier formation and possibility of “sudden speciation” the level
of marker distortions was compared in intra- and interspecific crosses. The genomic location
of distorted regions was assessed with help of a genetic map constructed on the basis
of F 2
population derived from L. multiflorum and L. perenne. A QTL mapping strategy was
employed to identify cryptic variation at multiple genes responsible for taxonomic characters
and to examine whether the variation at quantitative loci contributes to evolution of L. multiflorumand
L. perenne.