DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Preserving biodiversity: effects of gene flow from switchgrass cultivars on small, native populations.

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The long-term survival of wild plants that hybridize with crops depends on maintaining the diversity of wild gene pools, which, in turn, may be useful for further crop development. If wild populations are small and isolated, neighboring compatible crops could reduce their genetic diversity through pollen- and/or seed-mediated gene flow. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a popular native prairie grass and a promising biofuel crop. Switchgrass cultivars have been extensively planted in federal Conservation Reserve Program areas, which often occur near small, remnant prairies. However, the extent of crop-to-wild gene flow and its impacts on wild switchgrass genetic diversity have not been well studied. This research will compare genetic diversity of wild and nearby cultivated switchgrass populations, and will test for evidence of genetic swamping using DNA markers and Geographical Information System data. Our study will provide valuable information on the current state of wild switchgrass diversity and the potential impacts of ongoing habitat restoration projects involving commercial switchgrass cultivars. Our findings will also be useful for planning the long-term conservation of native prairie grass species, and will provide guidance for the future development and regulation of transgenic switchgrass that is developed for biofuels. We plan to teach undergraduate students at Ohio State University about natural hybridization and the importance of preserving biodiversity. In addition, we will reach conservation practitioners, amateur botanists, and the general public through professional meetings and local organizations. We hope to raise awareness of potential ecological and evolutionary impacts of new cultivars, including genetically engineered crops.