Collaborative Research: Genetic and Environmental Causes of Willow Hybrid Plant Resistance to Herbivores and a Pathogen

这个项目将研究植物杂交对植食性昆虫和一种锈病病原体的抗性的后果。PI将使用两种柳树(绢柳和刺柳)的模式系统，这两种柳树在其活动范围的大部分地区自然杂交。分子标记将被用来确定杂交亲本的纯度，并用于鉴定自然导入的植物。这项研究将比较生长在两个亲本环境中的柳树的遗传类别之间的抗性，并将测量在存在和不存在锈病病原体的情况下，遗传类别和环境对幼苗适合度的影响。这项研究还将在实验上确定与纯亲本相比，导入植物是否会影响导入植物的抗性。杂交植物广泛应用于农林树种育种。这些植物通常具有生长和产量特征，这使它们在商业用途上更具生产力。然而，在一些情况下，杂交植物被发现对疾病高度敏感。了解杂交对抗性的影响可能对控制杂交种群中的虫害和疾病很重要，并可能揭示环境和遗传因素，这些因素将提高杂交植物在农业和林业方面的商业成功。

Brunsfeld, S. J. DEB-9615617 This project will study the consequences of plant hybridization on resistance to plant-feeding insects and a rust pathogen. The PIs will use a model system of two willow species (Salix sericea and S. eriocephala) that naturally hybridize in large parts of their range. Molecular markers will be used to establish the purity of parents used in crosses and for identifying naturally introgressed plants. The study will use comparisons of resistance among genetic classes of willows growing in the two parental environments, and will measure the effects of genetic class and environment on fitness of seedlings in the presence and absence of a rust pathogen. The study will also determine experimentally if introgression affects resistance of introgressed plants compared to pure parents. Hybrid plants are widely used for agricultural and forest tree breeding. These plants often have growth and yield characteristics that make them more productive for commercial use. In several cases, however, hybrid plants have been found to be highly susceptible to disease. Understanding the consequences of hybridization on resistance may be important to controlling insect damage and diseases in hybrid populations and could reveal environmental and genetic factors that will improve commercial success of hybrid plants in agriculture and forestry.