Abstract

Chemotyping in the Field: The Application of High Resolution Metabolomics to Study the Miscanthus Metabolome

Thomas Wilson, Student, Aberystwyth University

Miscanthus (M.) is a C4 perennial grass which has increasing value within the field of bio-energy. The current focus is to accelerate its domestication across Europe through marker assisted breeding. Non – targeted metabolite profiling techniques have been used to determine the extent of metabolic diversity across wild populations which have been cultivated in Aberystwyth, UK. High resolution mass spectrometry was used in conjunction with machine learning to elucidate phylogenic relationships within the bio – energy grass. Field experiments were used to validate leaf sampling methods, to ensure experimental procedures were not confounded by differences in plant architecture, environmental conditions or developmental phase. Potential markers for developmental responses were observed, in particular for floral initiation in M.sinensis. A large and diverse population (n = 244) could be segregated based on inter – specific differences (M. sinensis and M. sacchariflorus) with the nothospecies (M. x giganteus) displaying unique metabolic properties. Several metabolome subgroups were evident within the set of M. sinensis genotypes, with geographical origin identified as a major driver of these differences in chemical content.