Application of RAPD markers in hybrid verification in coconut

Abstract

Coconut palms are classified into two major types, viz., 'talls' and 'dwarfs', which mainly differ in their pollination behavior of cross- and self-pollination, respectively. Due to this difference, getting true-to-type progenies of desirable tall and dwarf cultivars has always been a challenge. The conventional practice of selection of seedlings based solely on morphological traits often results in selection of out-crossed seedlings and undesirable off-types. In the present investigation, RAPD markers for the tall/dwarf trait were identified in coconut using a bulked DNA approach. Screening of tall and dwarf palm bulk DNA with 200 primers revealed a RAPD primer OPBA3 which was able to clearly differentiate both the tall and dwarf bulks. For validation, the primer was used to screen individual tall and dwarf coconut palms representing different geographic regions. The primer was also used to screen the parents and validate hybrids of Dwarf x Tall crosses.