| Poa pratensis L. is a perennial cool-season grass which is grown worldwide, often apomictic, competitive in many habitats, and hybridizes with other Poa species. We measured 32 distinct transgenic Poa hybrids and their parents for reproductive fitness traits, morphological traits, and frequency of transgene expression in progeny from the hybrids and their parents. Progeny were produced by selfmg, intercrossing, and backcrossing the hybrids to both parents. We observed that hybridization did occur and that in most cases, hybrids were less than or similar compared to their respective parents for morphological and reproductive fitness traits. This work showed how the glyphosate resistance gene was an effective tool in detecting hybridizations, and significantly simplified the ability to rapidly screen for hybrids. Aside from the environmental concerns of transgenic grasses, this technology could facilitate our understanding gene flow in mixed populations of Poa and aid in other hybrid fitness studies. |
