APPLICATION OF GENETIC BIT ANALYSIS (GBA(TM)) FOR ALLELIC SELECTION IN PLANT-BREEDING

Genetic Bit Analysis (GBA) is a relatively new technique developed to score single-nucleotide polymorphisms among alleles. It is currently b eing used as a genetic diagnostic tool in human paternity tests as wel l as in pedigree analysis of farm animals. GBA relies on the polymeras e chain reaction and enzyme-linked colorimetry to distinguish differen ces among genotypes. The identification of a single-nucleotide polymor phism which distinguished the plastome of cytoplasmic male-sterile oni on varieties from the plastome of fertile lines provided a model syste m for testing the utility of GBA in plants. Our results demonstrate th at GBA permits rapid and accurate allele determination in onion breedi ng lines, resulting in accurate prediction of sterility at the seedlin g stage. The use of 96-well microtiter plates and automated liquid-han dlers allowed semi-automation of Genetic Bit Analysis.