ARS | Publication request: APPLICATION OF RAPD TECHNOLOGY TO SUGARCANE BREEDING AND SELECTION

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: November 20, 1998
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: The sugarcane (Saccharum L.) taxon consists of numerous inter-fertile species and related genera, and is morphologically, genetically, and cytologically complex. Cultivars are interspecific hybrid derivatives from at least three species. The lack of morphological markers in hybrid and back-cross progeny makes DNA-based marker technology an attractive tool to facilitate selection. Our study of the 5S ribosomal region indicated that there was insufficient variation to permit development of markers specific for S. spontaneum. This is a very important exotic species used widely in sugarcane breeding. However, random amplified polymorphic DNA- polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) revealed substantial genomic DNA variability among S. spontaneum clones and accessions suggesting that RAPD-PCR might offer a means to circumvent this impediment. DNA-based technology is currently being used in the sugarcane breeding program to assess variability of S. spontaneum germplasm, confirm hybrid identity, and design primers specific for some Old World (Erianthus spp.) and New World (S. giganteum) sugarcane relatives.