FINGERPRINTING OF POTATO SPECIES AND CULT IVARS BY THE RAPD-PCR METHOD

Polymerase chain reaction with random primers (RAPD-PCR) is used to fi ngerprint DNA polymorphism of six species and eight cultivars of potat o. Three primers were developed experimentally for detection by DNA fi ngerprinting of cultivars and species. High significance and reproduci bility of amplified DNA spectra for each species and cultivar was demo nstrated. In these spectra, RAPD-PCR fragments, were revealed which ma y serve as cultivar- and species-specific markers for identification a nd differentiation of Solanum cultivars and species.