Detection of androclonal variation in anther-cultured rice lines using RAPDS

Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis was. used to determine the occurr ence and extent of variation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants regenerated f rom anther culture. Androclonal variation in morphologically uniform progen ies was detected using 40 10-mer oligonucleotide arbitrary primers. Among 2 7 plants from nine anther culture-derived lines, variation was detected in, three plants from, two lines by two primers, namely UBC 160 and UBC 209. P rimer UBC 160 amplified a polymorphia band on one of the three progenies fr om DH-34, while UBC 209 detected polymorphisms on two out of three progenie s from line DH-58. Apart from these, the amplification products were monomo rphic across all the regenerants from anther culture-derived plants. Out of 40 tested primers, no difference in the banding pattern was observed in th ree seed-derived plants. The significance of possible androclonal variation at the DNA level in rice doubled haploid breeding and genetic mapping is d iscussed.