Il miglioramento genetico di Poa pratensis L. attraverso la manipolazione del sistema riproduttivo.

Kentucky bluegrass or smooth stalked meadowgrass (Poa pratensis L.) is widespread throughout temperate climates as turfgrass. In Italy it is primarily used for the production of high quality amenity and sport lawns and represents the most important apomictic species in terms of cultivated area and economic value. Although P. pratensis has a mode of reproduction ascribable to facultative aposporous parthenogenesis, its reproductive behaviour ranges naturally from nearly obligate apomixis to complete sexuality. In fact not only apomictic reproduction but also sexual reproduction by either outcrossing and selfing may take place in this species. Such reproductive versatility of P. pratensis often requires the estimation of the frequency of apomixis/sexuality expressed by single plants, populations or cultivars. For instance the investigation of the mode of reproduction has important practical implications since it influences breeding strategies, cultivar constitution and seed production. In this paper the AA deal with the screening techniques available to analyze the gametogenesis and embryogenesis processes in P. pratensis. In particular cytoembryological methods capable of estimating the frequency of apospory and/or parthenogenesis directly on the mother plant and molecular tests suitable for definitely assessing the extent of apomixis in the progenies are here reviewed.