**Report of the Workshop on Barley Genetic Linkage Groups, Barley
Genome, Genes and Genetic Stocks at the X. International Barley Genetics
Symposium in Alexandria, Egypt, April 2008.**

Udda Lundqvist, Overall Coordinator

e-mail: udda@nordgen.org

and

Agnese Kolodinska Brantestam

e-mail: agnese.kolodinska@nordgen.org

Box P.O. 41

Nordic Genetic Resource Center

SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden

**Agenda:**

**The following topics were brought up for discussion during the
workshop:**

1\. The current coordination system of to-day and its function in the
future.

2\. The whole genome coordination.

3\. Integration of molecular and morphological marker maps.

4, Nomination of coordinators.

5\. Barley Genetics Newsletter.

6, The International Database for Barley Genes and Barley Genetic Stocks
and GrainGenes.

7\. Symbolization and nomenclature problems of barley genes.

8\. Maintenance of barley Genetic Stocks.

9\. International Overall Coordinator.

1\. COORDINATION SYSTEM.

Discussions were focused on its activities of to-day and to-morrow.
There are many possible technologies for identifying genes to-day and
progress is made in integration of gene based maps especially made by
the Scottish Crop Research Institute. Bill Thomas, Scotland, presented
past activities how the coordination group was started with initiation
on NIL, SNP and AFLP marker integration. When now working on Illumina
SNPs marker high throughout genotyping, 15 000 markers, QTLs and other
technologies can give us much more information about each chromosome. He
also gave an overview of the progress that is done for integration of
Gene based maps: (a) 4 500 Illumina SNP markers; (b) 1 000 genes on the
IPK Gene Map; (c) 2 500 genes in the Japanese EST map; (d) 1 500 SFP
markers; (e) 1 000 Bowman lines mapped with BOPA1 and (f) 11 000 QTLs.
It was suggested to have not each chromosome coordinated but store and
coordinate all 7 chromosomes together.

2\. THE WHOLE GENOME COORDINATION.

Several participants stressed that we also need the whole genome
coordination. This should be a team task since the biology of mutants
should be evaluated and this is a huge effort and a whole time work. For
the time being, the time is not ready for one person to handle this.
Therefore the workshop recommended to continue with to-days system. For
publications of general QTL locations, the workshop recommended that the
estimated Bin map position of the gene/QTL must be included.

3\. INTEGRATION OF MOLECULAR AND MORPHOLOGICAL MAPS.

Andy Kleinhofs, USA, has been trying to integrate molecular and
morphological maps for many years with large success. This is of great
importance more than ever. There do exist many good maps that could be
used as references e.g. SSR maps, DART maps etc. The quality of data of
these maps is very high and linkage groups are easily detected. We need
all the basic morphological genes with its information and have them in
good shape. In the San Diego, USA, meetings, 2008, only very few groups
were represented that are working on molecular genotyping. David
Marshall, The Scottish Crop Research Institute, Dundee, Scotland, agreed
to take over this responsibility.

4\. NOMINATION OF COORDINATORS.

In the following, a list of the Chromosome/Linkage Groups and Genetic
Stocks Collections is presented with the names of the individuals who
agreed to be responsible.

**a. Overall Chairman and chromosomes**:

  ----------------- -----------------------------------------------------
  Overall chairman  Udda Lundqvist, Sweden assisted by: Agnese Kolodinska
                    Brantestam, Sweden

  Chromosome 1H (5) Gunter Backes, Denmark

  Chromosome 2H     J.D. Franckowiak, Australia

  Chromosome 3H     Luke Ramsey, UK.

  Chromosome 4H     Arnis Druka, UK. (replaces Brian Forster who
                    resigned)

  Chromosome 5H (7) George Fedak, Canada

  Chromosome 6H     Victoria Blake, USA.

  Chromosome 7H (1) Lynn Dahleen. USA.
  ----------------- -----------------------------------------------------

**b**. **Integration of molecular and morphological maps:** David
Marshall, UK, (replaces Andy Kleinhofs, USA, who wants to step down).

c\. Genetic Stocks and Collections:

  --------------------------- -------------------------------------------
  Barley Genetic Stock        Harold Bockelman, USA, (replaces An Hang
  Center:                     who retired 2007)

  Trisomics and aneuploids:   Harold Bockelman, USA, (replaces An Hang)

  Translocations and BTT:     Andreas Houben, Germany

  Desynaptic Genes:           Andreas Houben, Germany

  Autotetraploids:            Wolfgang Friedt, Germany

  Disease and pest resistance Mark Sutherland, Australia. (replaces Brian
  genes:                      Steffenson, USA, who wants to step down)

  *Eceriferum* genes:         Udda Lundqvist, Sweden

  Chloroplast genes:          Mats Hanssom, Denmark

  Male sterile genes:         Mario Therrien, Canada

  Spike morphology genes:     Udda Lundqvist, Sweden and Michele Stanca,
                              Italy

  Semi-dwarf genes:           J. D. Franckowiak, Australia

  Early maturity genes:       Udda Lundqvist, Sweden

  Barley-wheat genetic        A.K.M.R. Islam, Australia
  stocks:                     
  --------------------------- -------------------------------------------

Coordinators are expected to conduct current literature searches and
such research in their area of responsibility. Updated information
should be published in Barley Genetics Newsletter annually.

5\. BARLEY GENETICS NEWSLETTER.

Barley Genetics Newsletter (BGN) has been established in 1970 after
decisions made at the 2nd International Barley Genetics Symposium (IBGS)
in Pullman, USA, with its first volume 1971. The original idea was to
report short preliminary barley research notes, descriptions of barley
genes and stocks, chromosome locations, barley maps and literature
references. One of the initiators, Bob Nilan, USA, of the Newsletter and
the IBGS was attending the workshop and became acknowledged. After some
discussions and opinions the workshop decided strongly to continue the
BGN in electronic format as it is the only forum for the barley
community publishing updated revised gene descriptions and short notes.
Phil Bregitzer, USA, is continuing to act as main editor. Its
availability should be more announced and reminders for submissions will
be send several times a year.

6\. INTERNATIONAL DATABASE FOR BARLEY GENES AND BARLEY GENETIC STOCKS
AND GRAINGENES.

Udda Lundqvist gave a short demonstration of this database with its own
special address [www.untamo.net.bgs](http://www.untamo.net.bgs/). Most
parts are linked to GrainGenes. Several participants in the workshop
stressed that both databases are not easy and simple to use and rather
time consuming. If you are familiar with barley nomenclature, genetics
and Bin maps you get the information you need. Victoria Blake, USA, the
coordinator for GrainGenes, promised when getting suggestions, to
improve the use.

7\. SYMBOLIZATION AND NOMENCLATURE PROBLEMS OF BARLEY GENES.

Udda Lundqvist informed of germplasm problems in connection with the
Untamo database that Morten Huldén (the former head of the information
department at the Nordic Genetic Resource Center and now responsible for
this database) ran into when he was including revised descriptions.

(a). Germplasm stocks should get assigned a GSHO number and seed samples
should have been submitted to the Stock Center before descriptions are
published.

(b). References as 'unpublished' and 'personal communication' should be
avoided.

(c). No clear definitions of disease and pest resistance genes.

(d). When revising a gene and moved from one locus to another, both
descriptions should be revised and published.

In the discussions several participants agreed that in many cases the
rules for assigning genes, alleles and germplasm stock numbers have not
been taken notice on. Especially the nomenclature rules for pest and
resistance genes failed to follow, the former coordinator stressed that
this nomenclature exists for a long time, nobody wants to do the allelic
tests, people usually have not checked the literature and just assigned
temporary names in order not to miss the allele. The new coordinator
urgently asked that new resistant names, genes and symbols should first
be accepted by the coordinator before publishing.

The workshop also recommended strongly to publish the rules annually in
Barley Genetics Newsletter.

8\. MAINTENANCE OF BARLEY GENETIC STOCKS.

The workshop acknowledged the existence of different barley collections
world-wide, its necessity to maintain and keep them in good shape and
update all information continuously.

9\. INTERNATIONAL OVERALL COORDINATOR.

The workshop recommended that the to-days chairman for the barley
linkage groups and collections should continue.