Detection of Genetic Variation and Gene Introgression in Potato Dihaploids Using Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Markers

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNAs were employed to study the genetic variation and gene introgression in potato dihaploids (2n=24) which were generated after interspecific pollination of tetraploid cultivars (2n=4X=48, Solanum tuberosum cv Irish Cobbler, Superior and Dejima) by haploid inducer clones (2n=2X=24, Solanum phureja 1.22, Hes-5 and Hes-6). Genetic variation and DNA marker segregation among dihaploids were observed. Most dihaploids contain S. tuberosum specific RAPD markers but haploid inducer-specific RAPD markers were also found in some dihaploids. Of six different arbitrary 10-mer oligonucletide primers which showed polymorphism betwen tetraploid cultivars and haploid inducers used, three generated amplification products which seemed to be derived from the S. phureja parent. Our results indicate that chromosomes of dihaploids may not be pure S. tuberosum and the dihaploids may not be produced by parthenogenesis.