IDENTIFICATION OF GENETIC STRAINS OF MEDJOOL AND DEGLET NOOR DATE PALM CULTIVARS IN CALIFORNIA USING AMPLIFIED FRAGMENT LENGTH POLYMORPHISM (AFLP) MARKERS

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is one of the most important fruit crops in North Africa and Middle East. There is limited production of date in California and Arizona. ‘Medjool’ and ‘Deglet Noor’ are two of the most important and widely grown date cultivars around the world and in the USA. It is difficult to identify date palm cultivar based on morphological characteristics, isozymes or RAPD markers. It is even more difficult to identify genetic strains of commercial cultivar based on those markers. Genetic strains of clonally propagated fruit crops are very common, but it is challenging to identify different genetic strains within the same cultivar. We have developed PCR based amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis with near Infrared fluorescence labeled primers for the identification of date cultivars in California. The AFLP markers generate large number of polymorphic bands among different date cultivars and allow easy identification of each cultivar. We now use the AFLP markers to identify genetic strains of ‘Medjool’ and ‘Deglet Noor’ date cultivars. A total of 23 ‘Medjool’ and 33 ‘Deglet Noor’ samples collected from the USDA date germplasm collection and commercial gardens in California were included in the study. We are able to identify large number of genetic strains in ‘Medjool’ cultivar and none in ‘Deglet Noor’ cultivar using AFLP markers. The potential application of AFLP markers in identification of date cultivar or genetic strains is very feasible. The identification of genetic strains of date cultivars using AFLP markers will enhance the decision for future date germplasm collection and preservation. The information also can be used in future date breeding and improvement.

XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Plant Genetic Resources, The Fabric of Horticultures Future

P.S. Devanand, C.T. Chao

Genetic similarity, molecular markers, Phoenix dactylifera, PCR, variability

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2003.623.38