A preliminary assessment of the genetic relationship between Erianthus rockii and the “Saccharum complex” using microsatellite (SSR) and AFLP markers

Erianthus rockii is a drought and cold tolerant wild relative of sugar cane from China that is currently being used in sugar cane introgression programs. It has not been described outside of China. Although classified as an Erianthus species using morphological characters, its relationship with other Erianthus species and other species in the Saccharum complex is not well understood. Genotypes representing seventeen species from five genera in the Saccharum complex were evaluated with approximately 200 microsatellite (SSR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers and similarity matrices constructed. Principal component analysis (PCA) was undertaken separately with the AFLP and SSR data. The results from both data sets were very similar and suggested that E. rockii was distinct from other Erianthus and Saccharum species. E. rockii clustered with E. fulvus and two Miscanthus species, mid-way between the major Saccharum and Erianthus clusters.