Application of random amplified polymorphic DNA markers for identification of marula genotypes

摘要

Marula (Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra) is a large tree, native to southern Africa, whose fruits are consumed fresh or utilized for processing into liqueurs, nectar and jelly. In addition, the nut is an important source of oil. Twenty-four genotypes of marula were characterized using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. A distinct band pattern was obtained for each of the trees, using as few as 4 arbitrary 10-mer primers. Trees propagated vegetatively by grafting showed identical fingerprints. These results suggest that RAPD markers provide a useful system for documenting the identity of marula genotypes.