HIGH FREQUENCY RECOVERY OF INTERGENERIC FUSION PRODUCTS OF BRASSICA OLERACEA (+) LEPIDIUM MEYENII AND THEIR MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION BY RAPD AND AFLP

Introgression of genes from distantly related donors within the family Brassicaceae is useful for augmenting the genetic base for achieving specific crop improvement objectives. Hypocotyl-derived protoplasts of B. oleracea var. capitata cv. ‘Toskama‘ were fused with non-irradiated hypocotyl protoplasts as well as X-ray irradiated mesophyll protoplasts of Lepidium meyenii to produce symmetric versus asymmetric intergeneric hybrids. In addition, hypocotyl-derived protoplasts of B. oleracea cv. botrytis ‘Korso‘ were fused with X-ray irradiated mesophyll protoplasts of L. meyenii. Using polyethylene glycol, 76 plants were regenerated, 37 with symmetric fusion and 39 with asymmetric fusion. Regenerated plants were characterized by RAPDs, AFLPs and Southern hybridization. Due to the small amount of template DNA (20 ng) required, the RAPD markers are suitable for detecting true fusion plants in very early stages of in vitro development. Whereas the large number of markers provided with AFLP was useful for detecting a high degree of genetic polymorphisms in the fusion plants and for quantifying the degree of asymmetric fusion. More plants with the morphology of B. oleracea were obtained with asymmetric fusion.

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