ASSESSMENT OF NATURAL AND INDUCED GENETIC-VARIATION IN ALSTROEMERIA USING RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA (RAPD) MARKERS

We have used random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers to study genetic variation in Alstroemeria. The first objective was to examine the discriminatory power of RAPD markers in different genotypes of Als troemeria obtained by traditional breeding. All genotypes examined, in cluding commercial Alstroemeria varieties, could be distinguished on t he basis of their RAPD profiles. Progeny plants could be distinguished from their parents. A second objective of this study was to investiga te whether RAPD markers can be used as a routine tool to detect mutant plants, as an alternative to glasshouse testing. To address this obje ctive, we analysed Alstroemeria plants that carried phenotypically vis ible mutations that either were induced by irradiation using X-rays or were the result of somaclonal variation. In eight out of a total of 1 3 mutant Alstroemeria plants obtained after irradiation or tissue cult ure we detected no polymorphisms when compared to control plants that were considered to be non-mutated. Only in five of the mutant plants a nalysed we detected one to two polymorphisms. These results suggest th at frequent genome rearrangements had not occurred in the mutant plant s analysed. These results also demonstrate that the RAPD technique is an inappropriate tool for the rapid screening of Alstroemeria for indu ced variation. It seems probable that this conclusion would be equally applicable in other plant genera in which induced variation has occur red. However, the RAPD technique is a simple and effective tool for ge netic fingerprinting of Alstroemeria varieties, provided their differe nces are due to sexual propagation.