Genetic markers for cultivar identification in potato in relation to insect tolerance as reveald by RAPD analysis

ABSTRACT

In Egypt losses of agricultural products by mole cricket are abundant. However the genetic information on tolerance to mole cricket is limited. Therefore, in the present study the yield of four potato cultivars [Alfa, Scort, Desrea and Diamond] were compared under natural mole cricket infestation. The tuber yield decreased by this insect infestation, and the reduction differed significantly among cultivars. The cultivar Alfa prooved to be the one of choice under the soil that has infection with mole cricket. The infestation of potato by mole cricket reduced the carbohydrate concentration in the infected compared to the non-infected tubers. For RAPD analysis, seven arbitrary 10-mer primers were used. A total of 62 scoreable bands was detected of which 30 bands Were polymorphic[48.4%]. Based on the data obtained by RAPD analysis, it was possible to discriminate between the four potatoes genotypes used in the present study. The genotype-specific Marker indicates that six markers distinguish the cultivar Alfa [OPB-09-800, OPB-09-650, OPD-04-1970, OPD-04-475, OPD-04-317,OPE-13-890], three markers distinguish Diamond [OPA-06-1250, OPD-04-1000, OPD-04-600] one marker for Scort [OPD-04-580] and one marker for Desrea [OPA-15-2190]. The cultivar-specific markers represented 17. 7% of the total markers and 36.6 of the polymorphic markers. These markers can help in marker-assisted selection breeding Programs for improving mole cricket tolerance in potato plants