Barley Genetics as a Model
for International
Collaborative Research
Lauren Osborn
Oregon State University
Department of Crop and Soil Science
Mentors: Dr. Patrick M. Hayes
Dr. Peter Szucs
Dr. Tony Chen
Chapters
Inheritance of Final Leaf Number in Dicktoo x
Calicuchima and Dicktoo x OWB-D F2 populations
International and Local Research Experience
Oregon Wolfe Barley
Inheritance of Final Leaf Number in
Dicktoo x Calicuchima and Dicktoo
x OWB-D F2 populations
Barley
Winter types


Plants survive harsh winter temperatures
Vegetative State
Facultative Types

Low temperature tolerant but do not require cold
period
Spring types


Planted in the spring
No need to survive winter temperatures
Vernalization Requirement
Induction of flowering by exposure to low temperature
Spring
Winter
Facultative
No VRN
No VRN
VRN
Sensitivity
Growth
Habit
Winter
Hardiness
Sensitivity
Vernalization
Short day
Requirement Photoperiod
Sensitivity
Sensitivity
Winter
+
+
+/-
Facultative
+
-
-
+/-
Spring
Cereal Winter Hardiness
Vernalization
Requirement
Low
Temperature
Tolerance
Photoperiod
Sensitivity
Vernalization
Two genes determine vernalization
requirement in barley (Von Zitzewitz, 2005)


VrnH1
VrnH2
Winter alleles at both loci need to be present
for the plant to require vernalization
VrnH1
VrnH1 is located on chromosome 5H
Involved in plant growth and development
Expression


Plant undergoes a vegetative to reproductive
transition
Meristem differentiation and the plant growth
cycle
VrnH2
VrnH2 is located on chromosome 4H
VrnH2 encodes a repressor


Effects VrnH1
Prevents its expression
Repressor is active


VrnH1 is not expressed
Plant remains vegetative
Vrn H2
Winter types


Repressor prevents expression of VrnH1
Until a period of low temperature
Cold period achieved




VrnH2 genes cease expression
No repressor protein is produced
VrnH1 is allowed expression
Growth and differentiation
Spring Types
Two genotypes

VrnH2 repressor gene is deleted
No repressor for VrnH1

Part of VrnH1 gene deleted
Nothing for VrnH2 to repress
Spring planted


No cold period
No vernalization
VrnH1
VrnH2
Measurement
How do you measure how long the plant
grows?
Methods



Double ridge stage of meristem development
Heading date
Final leaf number (FLN), (Fowler et al. 2006)
Heading Date vs. Final Leaf
Number
Heading date and Final leaf Number (FLN) are
used to confirm genotypic and phenotypic
expectations
Heading date can be influenced by vernalization
requirement and maturity genes
Final leaf number (FLN) is also important an
important measurement
Experimental Design
Heading date vs. FLN
Develop populations that segregate for
winter types (v1v1/V2V2, v1v1/V2v2)
Collect data on populations


Heading date (Szucs et al. 2006)
FLN
Objectives
Data Collection on FLN
Genotype (Szucs et al. 2007)

Phenotype
Parents
F1 progeny
F2 progeny
Evaluate the data


Heading date results (Szucs et al. 2007)
FLN results
Parents and Crosses
Parents



Calicuchima
Dicktoo
Oregon Wolfe Barley Dominant (OWB-D)
Crosses


Dicktoo x OWB-D
Dicktoo x Calicuchima
Crosses and Hypotheses
Parent 1
Parent 2
F2
Dicktoo
OWB –D
Expect
segregation
Genotype
Phenotype
Genotype
Phenotype
for Vrn
v1v1/v2v2
No Vrn
requirement
V1V1/V2V2
No Vrn
requirement
requirement
Parent 1
Parent 2
F2
Dicktoo
Calicuchima
Expect
segregation
Genotype
Phenotype
Genotype
Phenotype
for Vrn
v1v1/v2v2
No Vrn
requirement
V1V1/V2V2
No Vrn
requirement
requirement
Winter Genotypes:
v1v1/V2V2
V1v1/V2v2
Materials and Methods
The F2 plants were grown in the greenhouse
and not allowed a cold period for vernalization
FLN was measured on 93 F2 plants plus
parents and F1 progeny

Number of leaves on a the main tiller
Results
Analysis of FLN



Phenotypic Frequency Distributions
Mean Final Leaf Number of genotypes
Correlation between heading date and FLN
Parents and F1 genotypes
Genotype
Final Leaf Number
Growth Habit
VRNH1/VRNH2
Germplasm
Dicktoo
6.63 ± 0.86
Falcutative
v1v1v2v2
Parent
OWB-D
3.25 ± 0.43
Spring
V1V1/V2V2
Parent
Calicuchima
7.50 ± 0.5
Spring
V1V1/V2V2
Parent
Dicktoo x OWB-D
5.50 ± 0.5
Spring
V1v1V2v2
F1
Dicktoo x Calicuchima
6.50 ± 0.5
Spring
V1v1V2v2
F1
Phenotypic Distribution
Heading Date
Dicktoo x OWB-D
45
OWB-D
Dt
40
Number of lines
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170
Days to flowering
(Szucs et al. 2007)
Phenotypic Distribution
FLN
Dicktoo x OWB-D
35
OWB-D
Dt
30
Lines
25
20
15
10
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Final Leaf Number
10
11
12
13
14
Phenotypic Distribution
Heading Date
Dicktoo x Calicuchima
45
Dt Cb
40
Number of lines
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170
Days to flowering
(Szucs et al. 2007)
Phenotypic Distribution
FLN
Dicktoo x Calicuchima
40
Dt
Cb
6
7
35
30
Lines
25
20
15
10
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
8
9
Final Leaf Number
10
11
12
13
14
Genotype
v1
v1
/v
2v
2
V1
v1
/v
2v
2
V1
V1
/v
2v
2
v1
v1
/V
2v
2
V1
v1
/V
2v
2
V1
V1
/V
2v
2
v1
v1
/V
2V
2
V1
v1
/V
2V
2
V1
V1
/V
2V
2
Final Leaf Number
Mean Final Leaf Number
Dicktoo x OWB-D
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Genotype
v1
v1
/v
2v
2
V1
v1
/v
2v
2
V1
V1
/v
2v
2
v1
v1
/V
2v
2
V1
v1
/V
2v
2
V1
V1
/V
2v
2
v1
v1
/V
2V
2
V1
v1
/V
2V
2
V1
V1
/V
2V
2
Final Leaf Number
Mean Final Leaf Number
Dicktoo x Calicuchima
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Correlation
Dicktoo x OWB-D


r = 0.94
P < 0.0001 (extremely significant)
Dicktoo x Calicuchima


r = 0.8
P < 0.0001 (extremely significant)
Results show a high correlation between
heading date and FLN data
Conclusions
Results show that genotypic and phenotypic
FLN data matches with that of the Vrn gene
model

Results show significance for expected segregation
Statistical analysis show that heading date and
FLN data are similar

High correlation between FLN and Heading Date
Final Leaf Number


Smaller populations
Larger Populations
International and Local
Research Experience
Comparison between Lledia, Spain
and Corvallis, Oregon, USA
Overview
Universidad de Lleida
Oregon State University
Comparison
Spain
Olives
Goats
Grains
Citrus Fruits
History of Universidad de Lleida
Second Oldest Spanish University


Created in 1300 by a charter
King of Aragon, James II
Continued with vitality until 1717



Royal Law
Banning universities in Catalonia
Seminary
Officially reopened in 1968


New buildings added
University is center of town
Universidad de Lleida
Current University





10,000 students
Buildings located all over
the city
Students stay in their
building
Students live at home
Importance of Agriculture
Region’s economy
Many studies related
University of Lleida
Research Experience
International perspective on plant genetics
research


Laboratory of Dr. Ignacio Romagosa
Researched root growth and structure of
barley
Root growth and structure

Important in the role of drought, stress and nutrient
uptake efficiency
Barley cultivars, OWB
Overview of Project
Research Experience

Funding
Techniques and technology used
Growth chambers in lab
Basic PCR technologies
Membership in the EU has allowed greater access to funding

Work ethic and culture
Laid back atmosphere
Very friendly
Coffee breaks and lunch breaks
Oregon State
University
History of Oregon State University
Settlers from the Oregon Trail

Corvallis – “Heart of the Valley”
Corvallis College – 1856

First class - 1870
3 Students graduated: 2 men, 1 woman
$10.00 per term for tuition
1883 – First Department of Agriculture
1885 – State of Oregon, control of College
History of Oregon State University
1900 – Oregon Agricultural College


Large growth of college
Addition of new departments
1961- Oregon State University
Sea, Land, Space and Sun grant
First Graduation in Gill Coliseum 1950
Linus Pauling
Nobel Prize Winner
Oregon State University
OSU currently




19,000 students
Over 200 academic degree programs
Thirteen colleges
Research
$194 million in funded research last year
Oregon State University
Research Experience


Dr. Patrick Hayes
Research conducted with Barley
Stripe Rust resistance in Barley
Field, greenhouse, and lab work

Funding
Top technology and tools in the lab
Large fieldwork and research projects

Work ethic and culture
Very motivated and hard working
Helpful and friendly
Comparison
Overview


Perspectives on research
Funding
More technology to aid in researching barley
genetics
Larger impact with local, national, and international
research

Both experiences aided me during my college
career
Questions?