COMPARISON OF RAPD AND RFLP MARKERS FOR MAPPING F2 GENERATIONS IN MAIZE (ZEA-MAYS L)

The F-2 generations from two maize crosses were used to compare the ab ility of RAPD and RFLP marker systems to create a genetic linkage map, Both RFLPs and RAPDs were shown to provide Mendelian-type markers. Mo st of the RFLPs (80%) could be placed with a good level of certainty ( LOD > 4) on the genetic linkage map, However, because of their dominan t nature, only between 37% and 59% of the RAPDs could be placed with s uch a LOD score, The use of combined data from RFLPs and RAPDs increas es the level of information provided by RAPDs and allows the creation of a combined RFLP/RAPD genetic linkage map, Thus, the RAPD technique was found to be a powerful method to provide improved probes coverage on a previously created RFLP map and to locate markers linked to chrom osomal regions of interest.