Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L) 為北美洲原生之C4多年生草種,美國致力於發展switchgrass為能源作物。利用核酸逢機增殖多型性 (random amplified polymorphic DNA,RAPD) 和簡單序列重複間多型性 (inter-simple sequence repeat,ISSR) 兩種分子標誌分析40個野生族群和8個栽培品種的遺傳歧異度,分別用RAPD和ISSR分析48個switchgrass品系的遺傳相似度為0.08〜0.89 和0.06〜0.86,在本試驗中,無法從野生族群中分離區隔出栽培品種,顯示栽培品種與野生族群擁有相似的遺傳資源。另外外表性狀分析也說明在高生質量產量的品系中,具有發展為纖維性能源作物和牧草的潛力品系,美國南部低地型 (lowland) switchgrass較適合本試驗地台北多雨潮濕的環境,獲得更高的生質量產量。
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L), is a C4 perennial grass native to North America that is being developed as a biomass energy crop in the United States. Forty wild populations and eight cultivars were analyzed for random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. The estimated genetic similarity among the sample with the RAPD and ISSR polymorphic fragment were ranging from 0.08〜0.89 and 0.06〜0.86. Cultivars of switchgrass cannot be differentiated from wild population in this study on the basis of RAPD and ISSR markers, indicating that both of them have similar genetic base. There are potential for selecting use of cellulose energy crop or forage in high biomass accessions based on phenotypic analysis. Lowland type switchgrass may grow better at Taipei than southern American because more rainy weather at Taipei.