GENETICS OF GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN DATE PALM

摘要

This invention relates to the genetics of gender discrimination in the dioecious date palm. Methods of the present invention involve analyzing DNA or RNA from a date palm plant, tissue, germplasm, or seed for the presence of (i) a nucleic acid sequence or genotype that identifies the sex of the plant, tissue, germplasm, or seed or (ii) a molecular marker in linkage disequilibrium with the nucleic acid sequence or genotype. Also disclosed are kits for selecting male and female date palm plants prior to flowering, methods of breeding a date palm plant, and a method of planting a date palm seed of a known sex.