IDENTIFICATION OF ZYGOTIC AND NUCELLAR TANGERINE SEEDLINGS (CITRUS SPP.) USING RAPD

The randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used to di stinguish nucellar and zygotic seedlings resulting from crosses betwee n the 'Montenegrina' (Citrus deliciosa Tenore) and 'King' (C. nobilis Loureiro) tangerines. The aim of the present study was to develop tang erine varieties with a reduced number of seeds and organoleptic charac teristics similar to the 'Montenegrina' tangerine. Embryos were isolat ed from seeds, cultivated in vitro, and acclimated in a greenhouse. Fo ur random primers were used to identify 54 plants of sexual origin fro m a total of 202 individuals. The degree of polymorphism of each prime r was reflected in the number of zygotic plants obtained per primer. C luster analysis of parents and progeny separated the individuals into distinct groups with a maximum genetic dissimilarity of 20%.