Figure 1

A SSR consensus linkage map for ryegrass ( Lolium spp.). The consensus linkage map was developed using the mapping populations VrnA, Xtg-ART, pop8490, lpOA, F2 biomass, WSC and ILGI (for detailed description of individual mapping populations, see Table 1). Mapping data were joined using the Combine Groups for Map Integration function of JoinMap 4.0 [58]. The Haldane mapping function based on regression mapping was used for map construction. The consensus linkage map contains 284 SSR markers. The total map length was 742 centiMorgan (cM), ranging for individual chromosomes from 70 cM of linkage group (LG) 6 to 171 cM of LG 2. The seven LGs have been aligned with the ILGI reference map [46]. Scale units are given in centiMorgan (cM) and fixed order anchor loci are highlighted in bold.