Identification of Genomic Region Associated with Female Date Palm through SCAR Markers

Abstract: Phoenix dactylifera from Arecaceae family is perennial, monocotyledonous plant that has high content of carbohydrate, protein, pectin, fat, dietary fiber, potassium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorus, amino acids and vitamins (e.g A, B1, B2, C). The fruit of Phoenix dactyliferais used in many food products. Date palm is dioecious plant having separate male and female trees but economically the female plants are more important due to their ability to made fruits and seeds. Molecular markers are efficient source to genetically characterize the organisms and to identify sex when plants are at nursery stage. Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs) markers are codominant in nature and due to its reliability and efficiency, the present study was conducted to identify the female-specific fragment in Pakistani date palm accessions with Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and then develop into a codominant Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCAR) marker. RAPD (PCR) technology was used measure the genetic relationship among eight date palm germplasm (four male and four female). From 34 RAPD primers analysis, total 209 RAPD fragments were amplified. Amplified fragment sized ranged from 1 to 12. The level of polymorphism among male and female plants was 36.84% identified through RAPD (PCR). Genetic similarities among male and female plants of date palm were assessed that ranges from 98.09% to 72.73%. The narrow genetic base was found among all the date palm germplasm. Analysis of molecular variance was revealed as 43% (among population) and 75% (within population).   Female specific band (800 bp) was identified by RAPD primer GLB-6 and cloned into a TA cloning vector. The fragment sequences used to design the specific SCAR primers. These SCAR primers can be used to identify the female-specific plants at seedling stage. It is the first ever report for the development of female specific SCAR marker in date palm.