INHERITANCE OF RAPD MARKERS IN THE F1 INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDS OF RICE

Random amplified polymorphic DNA markers were generated in a diploid a nd two tetraploid salt-tolerant accessions of wild rice species Oryza punctata, O. sativa cultivars Basmati-198, IR-6 and F-1 hybrids betwee n Basmati-198 and IR-6 with three accessions of O. punctata used as ma le parent. The PCR mediated DNA amplification profiles produced with d ifferent 10 mer primers were generally reproducible and differentiated tetraploid accessions from diploid and the hybrids from their parents . Of the total 263 markers that were generated with 11 different prime rs, 164 markers (62%) were exhibited by 5 parents and 102 markers (38% ) by 3 different F-1 hybrid combinations. In 2 of the 3 hybrids, frequ ency of the markers inherited from O. punctata was above 70%, as most of the primers amplified in the hybrid, DNA fragments inherited from O . puncrata (male parent). Most of the markers transferred from the mal e parent to the hybrids were of the same intensity while those transfe rred from the female parent (IR-6 and Basmati-198) were oflow intensit y compared to their intensity in the female parent itself. The detecti on of the male and female parent specific fragments in the hybrids was primer dependent. Our study indicated the reproducibility and reliabi lity of the RAPD markers in identification of wild and cultivated rice varieties and their F-1 hybrids. The significance of RAPD markers in monitoring specific characters transferred from the wild parents to th e cultivated rice varieties is discussed.