Proceedings of the XLV Italian Society of Agricultural Genetics - SIGA Annual Congress

Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy - 26/29 September, 2001

ISBN 88-900622-1-5

Poster Abstract

ISOLATION OF GENES CONTROLLING VERNALIZATION REQUIREMENT IN BARLEY

VEZZULLI S., BERTOLI A., MAROCCO A.

Istituto di Botanica e Genetica vegetale, Facoltà di Agraria, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Piacenza

Vrn-1 homologs, ESTs, BAC clones, Hordeum vulgare

Genetic variation in vernalization response and day-length sensitivity plays an important role in the adaptability of temperate cereals to a large range of environments. Genes controlling vernalization requirement (Vrn genes) divide temperate cereal varieties into two main categories referred to as winter or spring cereals. Autumn sown or winter cereals require a period of low temperature (vernalization) for floral initiation. Genes controlling vernalization requirement in temperate cereals have been extensively characterized. Genetic studies identified vernalization genes in wheat (Vrn-A1, Vrn-D1, Vrn-B1), barley (Vrn-H1, Vrn-H2, Vrn-H3) and rye (Vrn-R1). Mutants showing a reduced response to vernalization have been isolated in Arabidopsis thaliana. As the first step to isolate Vrn genes in cereals, we have utilized the Arabidopsis Vrn-1 gene (C. Dean, personal communication) to help us characterize the Vrn genes from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). By homology search, it has been found that this clone has an amino acid identity with ESTs from Zea mays L., Oryza sativa L., and Arabidopsis. Using gene specific probes, few Vrn sequences have been identified in barley and wheat genomes. Results from Northern studies on Vrn espression will be presented. In order to physically map vernalization genes and to establish their relationship with genes affecting flowering time, positive clones have been isolated from a barley BAC library provided by C. Pozzi, Max-Planck-Institut, Köln, Germany.