Somatic embryogenesis and DNA organization of genomes from selected Daucusspecies

Under identical culture conditions, only 8 out of 12 species and subspecies of the genus Daucus proved capable of somatic embryogenesis. Random amplif ied polymorphic DNA analysis indicated a polymorphism between the genomes o f individual species that were capable of embryogenesis and those that were not. Two specific bands (1.1 kbp, 0.68 kbp) were detected only in the geno mes of individuals with the capacity for embryogenesis. These were cloned a nd sequenced, and the homology of the nucleotide sequences of the various s pecies was detected: this ranged from 74% to 92% for the larger sequence an d from 92% to 97% for the smaller one. These DNA sequences would appear to be useful as a marker of the capacity for somatic embryogenesis in the genu s Daucus.