BGN 29: Coordinator's report: Ear Morphology Genes

Coordinator's report: Ear Morphology Genes

Udda Lundqvist

Svalöf Weibull AB
SE-268 81 Svalöv, Sweden


Not much new research work on the different ear morphology genes has been performed or reported since the latest report in Barley Genetics Newsletter BGN 28:104-105. Most of the descriptions mentioned in this report are still up-to-date and valid, and are available in the special volume of Barley Genetics Newsletter, BGN 26. The publication of this volume can be found also as electronic version under the address: http://wheat.pw.usda.gov/ggpages/bgn/

Three new BGS descriptions with their recommended locus symbols and names, and stock location information are published in Barley Genetics Newsletter, BGN 28:30, 33, and 34, respectively. They are: BGS 343: Leafy bract (Lfb), BGS 592: Yellow head 2 (yhd2) and BGS 593: Awned palea (adp).

During the last two years field experiments and genetic analyses at Fargo ND (J.D. Franckowiak, personal communication) two of the Dense spike genes showed to be identically: i.e. Dense spike 9 (dsp9), described in BGS 258, and located in chromosome 6HL is allelic to Erectoides-e (ert-e), described in BGS 266, and also located in chromosome 6HL.

Current lists of new and revised BGS descriptions are again presented by BGS number order as Table 2 in Barley Genetics Newsletter BGN 28:35-44 and by locus symbol in alphabetic order as Table 3 in BGN 28:45-54.

The incorporation and conversion of the descriptions of the ear morphology genes into the International Triticeae Genome Database "GrainGenes" according to the ACEDB format is still in progress and will hopefully be fulfilled during the next months of 1999. Also the feeding of images illustrating the different "Ear morphology" loci is still in progress. Some new pictures have again been taken during the last summer season of 1998 in Fargo ND, USA.

Most of the stocks of these mutant genes are available at the Genetics Stock Center in Aberdeen ID, USA. The Swedish "Ear morphology" loci with all the many alleles are available at the Nordic Gene Bank, Box P.O. 41, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden. FAX: +46 40 462188, e-mail: nordgen@ngb.se

Researchers in the field of ear morphology genes are urgently encouraged to submit matters of interest and research to the coordinator as well. Seed requests can be forwarded to the Nordic Gene Bank regarding the Swedish material, all the others to the Genetics Stock Center or to the coordinator at any time. Only small samples (about 30 seeds) can be delivered.

Recent references:

Davis, M.P., J.D. Franckowiak, T. Konishi, and U. Lundqvist. 1997. New and revised Barley Genetic (BGS) descriptions. Barley Genetics Newsletter, 1996 Special Issue, Volume 26. Pp.553.

Lundqvist, U. and Jerome D. Franckowiak. 1998. Descriptions of barley genetic stocks for 1997. Barley Genetics Newsletter, BGN 28:26-54.


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