margaret pooler usda/ars u.s. national arboretum washington, d.c
DESCRIPTION
Overall Objective Evaluate, breed, and release improved landscape trees and shrubs that are disease and pest resistant, tolerant of environmental stresses, and are of superior ornamental value.TRANSCRIPT
Margaret Pooler USDA/ARS U.S. National Arboretum Washington,
D.C.
Genetics, Genetic Resource Evaluation, and Genetic Improvement of
Landscape Trees and Shrubs Margaret Pooler USDA/ARS U.S. National
Arboretum Washington, D.C. Overall Objective Evaluate, breed, and
release improved landscape trees and shrubs that are disease and
pest resistant, tolerant of environmental stresses, and are of
superior ornamental value. Specific Initiative Objective
Use biotechnology to improve woody ornamental landscape plants by:
Establishing regeneration and transformation systems in redbud and
flowering cherry. Investigating and adapting molecular marker
technologies for use in woody ornamental plant breeding. Funding
from Initiative used to hire postdocs or support scientists to
conduct transgenic/molecular work: Karen Hokanson EunJu Cheong John
Cordts Hongmei Ma Research Approach Tissue Culture
Establish in-vitro cultures of several species of Cercis (redbud)
and Prunus (flowering cherry) Test for ability to regenerate
(organogenesis or embryogenesis). Focus transformation efforts on
those taxa that regenerate well. Research Approach Molecular
Markers
Use markers for which genomic information is not necessary (e.g.
AFLPs). Use markers which have been developed for other species in
the genus (e.g. SSRs in Prunus). Results Tissue Culture
Regeneration of Prunus taxa from cotyledons of mature stored seed.
Somatic embryogenesis and GFP transformation of Prunus incisa from
root explants. Results Tissue Culture
Regeneration of Cercis yunnanensis from leaf pieces. Results
Molecular Markers
Preservation and DNA fingerprinting of the historic Tidal Basin
cherries SSR markers from sweet and sour cherry are being used to
characterize ornamental cherry germplasm Results Molecular
Markers
Characterization of genetic diversity of Lagerstroemia fauriei
Identification of interspecific hemlock progeny Genetic identity of
the African Firebush Future Prospects Identify and obtain genes and
gene constructs for transformation of Cercis and Prunus germplasm:
Viral resistance Fungal resistance Sterility Future Prospects:
Continue to develop molecular markers to determine:
Genetic identity of hybrids or accessions, including introgressive
hybridization in populations. Genetic distances among individuals
in a breeding population or among species in a genus. Conservation
strategies Taxonomic and evolutionary relationships