Olivia P. Damasco, Ian D. Godwin, Robert J. Henry, Glen C. Graham, Steve W. Adkins, and Mike K. Smith
Institute of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños
Department of Agriculture, The University of Queensland
Queensland Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, The University of Queensland
Maroochy Horticultural Research Station
doi.org/10.57043/transnastphl.1997.5940
Abstract
Micropropagation offers a rapid method of producing disease-free planting materials in vegetatively reproduced species such as banana. However, widespread use of this technique is limited by the high incidence of somaclonal variation, with dwarfism as the major micropropagation induced variant (hereafter referred to as off-types) in the Cavendish subgroup (Musa spp. AAA). Dwarf off-types are rarely detected in vitro and commonly not apparent after until field planting has taken place. Identification of dwarf off-types at an early stage during in vitro culture is important. A random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker specific to dwarf off-type was identified. Primer OPJ-04 (5′CCGAACACGG−3′) consistently amplified a fragment of approximately 1,500 bp which was present in normal (true-to-type) but absent in the dwarf off-type plants of two Cavendish cultivars including New Guinea Cavendish and Williams. This RAPD fragment was cloned and a 1,625 bp nucleotide sequence was obtained. Primers homologous to this sequence were designed and used for specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The specific PCR offers a rapid and reliable method for identification of dwarf off-types.