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Genetic diversity of giant reed ( A rundo donax ) in A ustralia
Author(s) -
Malone Jenna M.,
Virtue John G.,
Williams Chris,
Preston Christopher
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
weed biology and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.351
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1445-6664
pISSN - 1444-6162
DOI - 10.1111/wbm.12111
Subject(s) - arundo donax , biology , genetic diversity , biological dispersal , weed , propagule , asexual reproduction , noxious weed , genetic variation , botany , ecology , biomass (ecology) , genetics , gene , population , demography , sociology
The perennial grass, Arundo donax , has shown potential as a promising biomass crop. However, it has become invasive in a number of areas and declared a noxious weed in some jurisdictions, making proposals to grow A. donax for commercial use in A ustralia controversial. Evidence of asexual reproduction and the presence of a single genetic clone in A ustralia was investigated, as such characteristics would indicate a limited risk of escape and invasion. Using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers, the genetic diversity of 218 A. donax samples from across A ustralia was examined. The samples were found to separate into two distinct genetic groups, or clades. There was only a small amount of genetic diversity within a clade (0.9 and 1.5%). However, there was a larger difference between the clades of 19.8%, suggesting the presence of two distinct A. donax genotypes in A ustralia. The low level of genetic variation in A ustralian A. donax that was found in this study indicates that spread is essentially by vegetative means and suggests that if grown in areas where it is separated from natural water dispersal events, A. donax poses a low risk of becoming invasive.