Verification of legitimate tenera oil palm hybrids using SSR and propagation of hybrids by somatic embryogenesis
Supawadee Thawaro and Somchai Chuan-udom
pp. 1 - 8
Abstract
Oil palm planting material consists solely of tenera hybrids, originating from crosses between dura and pisifera types. To confirm the parentage of the tenera hybrids, we used a DNA molecular marker approach based on simple sequence repeat (SSR). 6 parental lines of pisifera and 2 of dura were used to produce 6 independent progenies. SSR markers were tested (8 SSR primers) to valid the progenies from crosses #77 [366 (D) × 172 (P)], #58 [366 (D) × 72 (P)], #118 [366 (D) × 206 (P)], #119 [865 (D) × 206 (P)], #130 [865 (D) × 110 (P)], and #137 [366 (D) × 777 (P)]. All primers tested could amplify parental DNA. Secondly, half mature zygotic embryos consisting of the coleoptile region of those combinations was cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium plus various kinds and concentrations of auxins for callus induction. The results revealed that primers mEgCIR008 provided a clear DNA pattern and could be used for hybrid verification of the crosses 366 (D) × 172 (P). The highest frequency of nodular callus formation at 65% was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 2.5 mg/l 3, 6-dichloro-o-anisic acid (dicamba), significantly superior to the other kinds and concentrations of auxins. Moreover, somatic embryo formations at the globular and haustorium stages were achieved at 7.17% and 4.59%, respectively when cultured on MS medium supplemented with 0.2 M of sorbitol and 200 mg/l ascorbic acid for 3 months.
