THE USE OF MOLECULAR MARKERS IN POME FRUIT BREEDING

Although there are few reports of different types of DNA analyses in European (Pyrus communis L.) and Asian (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) pears, many have been used in apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) to identify markers linked to both monogenic and multigenic traits.
Apple marker identification has mainly involved such standard techniques as RAPD, SSR and AFLP, but functional markers such as those derived via PCR have recently been developed and may represent the future in correlating DNA sequences to their functions.