A genetic map of Asparagus officinalis based on integrated RFLP, RAPD and AFLP molecular markers

An integrated genetic map of the dioecious species Asparagus officinalis L. has been constructed on the basis of RFLP, RAPD, AFLP and isoenzyme marker s. The segregation analysis of the polymorphic markers was carried out on t he progeny of five different crosses between male and female doubled-haploi d clones generated by anther culture. A total of 274 markers have been orga nized to ten linkage groups spanning 721.4 cM. Since the haploid chromosome number of asparagus is ten, the established linkage groups probably repres ent the different chromosomes; however, the only group associated with a sp ecific chromosome is the one which includes sex, whose determinant genes ha ve been located on chromosome 5. A total of 33 molecular markers (13 RFLPs, 18 AFLPs, 2 RAPDs and 1 isoenzyme) have been located on this chromosome. T he closest marker to the sex determinant is the AFLP SV marker at 3.2 cM.