The utility of Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) data to preferentially identify progeny lines of maize (Zea mays L.) that are bred from known inbred parents

Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) from maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines of known pedigree were evaluated to ascertain their use to preferentially identify progeny lines derived from known parental inbred lines. When data, from 70 SSR loci were examined, progeny inbred lines bred using a known inbred memb er of a parental pair of lines were preferentially identified as progeny of that line relative to other inbreds by their higher ranking in order of co mparatively small Nei's distances to that parental line. For example, seven of nine progeny, that each inherited by pedigree less than 25% of a parent line, were still among the top ten percentile of all inbreds for their sim ilarity to that parental line. SSR: data analysed in this fashion can provi de a useful basis for screening the usage of specific germplasm with a low incidence of false detection. Usage of data from fewer SSR loci selected on the basis that they were arrayed in linked pairs did not improve the capab ility to preferentially identify progeny of known parents. Data from only t wo pairs each of tri- and tetra-haplotypes were available for examination. These arrays of loci did provide the basis for improved capabilities to pre ferentially identify progeny lines. Evidence from the population of lines c onsidered in this study shows that the discrimination ability of SSR: loci provides a basis for identifying progeny of specific parental lines. These abilities are likely to be increased by usage of data from SSR haplotypes. Data from haplotype arrays can be especially useful fur the identification of parent-progeny relationships through their ability to document the origi n of new haplotype arrays as segregation and recombination occur in the dev elopment of new inbred lines.