THE USE OF GENETIC-MARKERS TO IMPROVE SEED AND RNB COLLECTION AND GENETIC CONSERVATION

To facilitate the maintenance and exploitation of germplasm held at th e Australian Tropical Forages Genetic Resource Centre (ATFGRC), PCR-ba sed molecular marker systems have been used to investigate genetic var iation in Lablab purpureus, Stylosanthes scabra and RNB (root-nodule b acteria) collections, and to study genome relationships between ''Styl osanthes seabrana'' and S. scabra. These studies have demonstrated cle arly that molecular markers are powerful tools for improving the effic iency of germplasm management.