Biochemical Characterization of Itchgrass (Rottboellia exaltata) Biotypes

Polyacrylamide electrophoresis and spectroscopic methods were used to characterize biotypes A and B itchgrass [Rottboellia exaltata L.f. # ROOEX] and their F2 progeny. Electrophoretic analyses of F2 progeny showed that differences between these two biotypes are multiallelic. Spectrophotometric data indicated differences between the photosynthetic apparatus of the two biotypes. These differences may reflect different abilities to adapt to varying light conditions and infer that these biotypes promote survival of the species by increasing the number of environmental nitches that R. exaltata can occupy.