Molecular methods for differentiating Phragmites australis subspecies and identification of hybrid stands in the Upper Midwestern United States
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Biology University of Wisconsin–Whitewater Whitewater 53190 Wisconsin USA
- 2Botany Department Milwaukee Public Museum Milwaukee 53233 Wisconsin USA
- 3Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology and the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center University of Minnesota Saint Paul 55108 Minnesota USA
- 4Department of Biological Sciences Oakland University Rochester 48309 Michigan USA
- 5Department of Horticultural Science University of Minnesota Saint Paul 55108 Minnesota USA
- 6VerumGen Labs, LLC, Horace 58047 North Dakota USA
Abstract
Premise: In North America, Phragmites australis (common reed) has drawn a great deal of research attention. Non‐native P. australis subsp. australis is a noxious weed that has locally displaced native P. australis subsp. americanus in some areas. Although morphological features can distinguish the two subspecies, molecular tools often are required to confirm identifications. Additionally, the existence of natural intrasubspecific hybrids presents novel management challenges. Hybrid Phragmites is difficult to detect, and it has become standard practice to apply molecular tools to survey for hybrids.
Methods: We applied several molecular techniques—microsatellite, DArTseq (a type of genotyping‐by‐sequencing), restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP), and next‐generation sequencing—to characterize P. australis at the landscape scale in Minnesota and Wisconsin and to search for hybrids.
Results: We obtained molecular data for Phragmites plants sampled from 341 stands, ultimately characterizing 98 stands as native and 236 as non‐native. Plants from two adjacent stands in Washington County, Minnesota, were confirmed to be hybrids.
Discussion: These are the first confirmed hybrids from the Upper Midwest/western Great Lakes region. We also discuss the relative cost and effectiveness of the various molecular methods and offer recommendations for future studies.
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BibTeX
@article{tippery2026molecular,
title = {{Molecular methods for differentiating Phragmites australis subspecies and identification of hybrid stands in the Upper Midwestern United States}},
author = {Nicholas P. Tippery and Daniel J. Larkin and Julia Bohnen and Douglas L. Wendell and Neil O. Anderson and Susan M. Galatowitsch and Marie Abbey and Alan G. Smith and Andrzej K. Noyszewski},
journal = {Applications in Plant Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1002/aps3.70073},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/aps3.70073},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Molecular methods for differentiating Phragmites australis subspecies and identification of hybrid stands in the Upper Midwestern United States
AU - Nicholas P. Tippery
AU - Daniel J. Larkin
AU - Julia Bohnen
AU - Douglas L. Wendell
AU - Neil O. Anderson
AU - Susan M. Galatowitsch
AU - Marie Abbey
AU - Alan G. Smith
AU - Andrzej K. Noyszewski
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/04
JO - Applications in Plant Sciences
DO - 10.1002/aps3.70073
UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/aps3.70073
AB - Premise: In North America, Phragmites australis (common reed) has drawn a great deal of research attention. Non‐native P. australis subsp. australis is a noxious weed that has locally displaced native P. australis subsp. americanus in some areas. Although morphological features can distinguish the two subspecies, molecular tools often are required to confirm identifications. Additionally, the existence of natural intrasubspecific hybrids presents novel management challenges. Hybrid Phragmites is difficult to detect, and it has become standard practice to apply molecular tools to survey for hybrids. Methods: We applied several molecular techniques—microsatellite, DArTseq (a type of genotyping‐by‐sequencing), restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP), and next‐generation sequencing—to characterize P. australis at the landscape scale in Minnesota and Wisconsin and to search for hybrids. Results: We obtained molecular data for Phragmites plants sampled from 341 stands, ultimately characterizing 98 stands as native and 236 as non‐native. Plants from two adjacent stands in Washington County, Minnesota, were confirmed to be hybrids. Discussion: These are the first confirmed hybrids from the Upper Midwest/western Great Lakes region. We also discuss the relative cost and effectiveness of the various molecular methods and offer recommendations for future studies.
SN - 2168-0450
ER -