Back to Contents

FREE FULL TEXT PDF

APPLICATION OF RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA (RAPD) TECHNIQUE FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF MARKERS LINKED TO SALINITY TOLERANCE IN WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)

MEHBOOB-UR-RAHMAN, TANWIR AHMAD MALIK¹, MUHAMMAD ASLAM CHOWDHARY¹, MUHAMMAD JAVED IQBAL² AND YUSUF ZAFAR¹

Abstract: DNA marker for a low Na uptake trait in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was identified. The individual plants from F3 population segregating for salinity tolerance and the parents (LU-26S & Rohtas-90) were grown in polyethylene tubes under saline conditions (EC 25 dS m^-1) and screened for K:Na ratio, chloride ions and net photosynthesis at the fourth leaf stage. The plants were then transplanted into pots filled with 7 Kg of fertile soil and supplied with optimum water and nutrients until maturity. Correlations of K:Na and net photosynthesis with yield components were calculated. Genomic DNA from 15 tolerant and 15 sensitive F3 plants was extracted. The bulked segregant analysis was used in the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. DNA polymorphisms were observed using 148 primers. The primer OPZ-10 amplified a 680 bp polymorphic DNA fragment which linked to K:Na ratio trait. This DNA fragment can be used for marker-assisted selection to breed for salinity tolerant wheat. The K:Na ratio and net photosynthesis were not correlated with yield components.
 

National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), P.O. Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
¹ Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan.
² Department of Plant, Soil and General Agriculture, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA. E-mail: y_zafar@yahoo.com