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Stability of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants regenerated via somatic embryos, axillary bud proliferated shoots, microtubers and true potato seeds: a comparative phenotypic, cytogenetic and molecular assessment

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Abstract

The stability, both genetic and phenotypic, of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivar Desiree plants derived from alternative propagation methodologies has been compared. Plants obtained through three clonal propagation routes—axillary-bud-proliferation, microtuberisation and a novel somatic embryogenesis system, and through true potato seeds (TPS) produced by selfing were evaluated at three levels: gross phenotype and minituber yield, changes in ploidy (measured by flow cytometry) and by molecular marker analysis [measured using AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism)]. The clonally propagated plants exhibited no phenotypic variation while the TPS-derived plants showed obvious phenotypic segregation. Significant differences were observed with respect to minituber yield while average plant height, at the time of harvesting, was not significantly different among plants propagated through four different routes. None of the plant types varied with respect to gross genome constitution as assessed by flow cytometry. However, a very low level of AFLP marker profile variation was seen amongst the somatic embryo (3 out of 451 bands) and microtuber (2 out of 451 bands) derived plants. Intriguingly, only AFLP markers generated using methylation sensitive restriction enzymes were found to show polymorphism. No polymorphism was observed in plants regenerated through axillary-bud-proliferation. The low level of molecular variation observed could be significant on a genome-wide scale, and is discussed in the context of possible methylation changes occurring during the process of somatic embryogenesis.

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Abbreviations

2,4-D:

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

ABP:

Axillary bud shoot plants

AFLP:

Amplified fragment length polymorphism

DAPI:

4′-6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole

EMB:

Embling(s)

ISSR:

Inter simple sequence repeat

MS:

Murashige and Skoog (1962)

MTP:

Microtuber plants

NAA:

Naphthalene acetic acid

TPS:

True potato seedling(s)

RAPD:

Random amplified polymorphic DNA

RFLP:

Restriction fragment length polymorphism

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Acknowledgments

SKS is grateful to the Government of India and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, United Kingdom for his doctoral Commonwealth Scholarship Award. The authors thank Geoff Swan (SCRI) for providing the potato cv. Desiree true potato (selfed) seeds. The authors are grateful to Drs Brian Forster and Gavin Ramsay (SCRI) for critical reading of the manuscript. SCRI is supported by grant-in-aid from the Scottish Executive Environment & Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD).

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  1. Steve Millam

    Present address: Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, Daniel Rutherford Building, The University of Edinburgh, The Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JH, Scotland, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetics Programme, Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA, Scotland, UK

    Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Glenn J. Bryan, Mark O. Winfield & Steve Millam

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  1. Sanjeev Kumar Sharma
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  2. Glenn J. Bryan
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Correspondence to Glenn J. Bryan.

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Sharma, S.K., Bryan, G.J., Winfield, M.O. et al. Stability of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants regenerated via somatic embryos, axillary bud proliferated shoots, microtubers and true potato seeds: a comparative phenotypic, cytogenetic and molecular assessment. Planta 226, 1449–1458 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-007-0583-2

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