COSEGREGATION OF PURPLE-THROAT FLOWER COLOR WITH DIHYDROFLAVONOL REDUCTASE POLYMORPHISM IN SOYBEAN

Several genes act epistatically to produce Bower color in soybean [Gly cine max (L.) Merr.]. The genotype W1W1W3W3w4w4 produces the purple-th roat phenotype and W1W1w3w3w4w4 gives a near-white phenotype. Our obje ctive was to determine whether restriction fragment length polymorphis ms of several anthocyanin pathway genes are associated with flower col or traits. Genomic DNA from isolines of several Bower color genes in t he cultivar Clark were digested with 23 different endonucleases and pr obed with clones representing phenylalanine ammonia lyase, chalcone sy nthase, or dihydroflavonal reductase (DFR). The HaeIII digest revealed a polymorphism between the isoline containing the dominant W3 allele for purple-throat and the other isolines with the homozygous recessive w3 alleles. The DFR polymorphism cosegregated with Bower color varian ts in an F-2 population segregating for the W3 alleles. No recombinant types were found in 78 individuals, indicating either the W3 encodes DFR or is closely linked to a DFR gene.