Targetting AFLP-DNA markers to specific traits and chromosome regions

Abstract

The amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique is widely used in mapping of wheat as high polymorphism rates are obtained and the procedure is relatively simple. In this study the AFLP markers were targetted to wheat chromosome regions of interest, especially those in which random mapping approaches located relatively few markers. Results showed that the combination of bulk segregant analysis and AFLP markers could target new markers to regions of interest in wheat, and as a result, additional markers were identified for the dough mixing time and noodle colour traits. The new markers for noodle colour were closer to this trait than the markers previously identified by random procedures. As a result, their association with the trait was more significant, an aspect that is important for selection efficiency. In order to improve genome coverage, it was found that regions of chromosomes containing telomere sequences could be targetted using AFLPs combined with a telomere sequence anchor primer.