CHARACTERIZATION OF LOCI CONTAINING MICROSATELLITE SEQUENCES AMONG CANADIAN WHEAT CULTIVARS

Two microsatellite sequences, one within a gamma-gliadin locus and ano ther within a low molecular weight glutenin locus, were characterized on a set of 16 wheat lines. The wheat lines analyzed were primarily Ca nadian cultivars or breeding lines. A high level of variation was dete cted, especially between the Canadian Prairie Spring and the Canadian Western Red Spring Wheat classes. Markers based on microsatellite sequ ence sites appear to be more informative on closely related germplasm than either RFLP- or RAPD-based markers. The applicability of these ma rkers across a wide spectrum of classes and cultivars provides a start ing point for developing a point of delivery wheat class identificatio n system.