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Genetic and epigenetic uniformity of polyembryony derived multiple seedlings of Hevea brasiliensis

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Abstract

Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg (Para rubber tree) is a tropical tree species of Amazonian origin widely cultivated in several parts of the world for natural rubber, a highly priced commodity inevitable for the world rubber industry. Large, tree to tree variation in growth and latex yield among individual plants of high yielding Hevea clones is a common phenomenon observed in mature rubber plantations. The genetic heterogeneity of the seedlings which are used as rootstocks for propagation through budgrafting is considered as a major factor  responsible for this variation. In order to minimize this variation, attempts were made to develop highly uniform rootstock material via an in vitro technique by inducing zygotic polyembryony in Hevea. Immature open pollinated fruits of a high yielding clone RRII 105 were cultured by half ovulo embryo culture technique. Multiple embryos were induced from the 8–10-week-old zygote with a novel combination of gibberellic acid (GA3), kinetin, and zeatin. Plantlets were successfully generated from the multiple embryos and raised in the field post hardening. Screening using genetic and epigenetic molecular markers revealed that the multiple seedlings developed are highly uniform and are of single zygotic origin. Development of plants having genetic and epigenetic uniformity suggests that this technique is ideal for raising uniform rootstock material in Hevea which may significantly reduce intraclonal variations. Moreover, these plants could serve as ideal material for physiological and molecular investigations towards the understanding of  stock–scion interaction process in rubber.

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Abbreviations

CW:

Coconut water

MSAP:

Methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism

BP:

Banana powder

SV:

Somaclonal variation

ME:

Malt extract

CTAB:

Cetyl trimethylammonium bromide

CH:

Casein hydrolysate

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. James Jacob, Director of Research and Dr. A Thulaseedharan, Deputy Director (Biotechnology) Rubber Research Institute of India for their interest and constant encouragement. We deeply appreciate the assistance provided by Ms. Minimol Ravindran in conducting the molecular studies. We also thank Mr. Madhusoodanan, Senior Scientist, Rubber Technology division, RRII for the photographs. This work was supported by the research funds of the Rubber Research Institute of India, Rubber Board (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India).

Conflict of interest

All authors except the fourth author are employees of the funding organization, Rubber Research Institute of India, Rubber Board (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India). The fourth author is a PhD scholar  having no financial relationship with the funding organization. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biotechnology Division, Rubber Research Institute of India, Rubber Board, P O, Kottayam, Kerala, India, 686009

    Rekha Karumamkandathil, Sobha Sankaran, Divya Unnikrishnan & Sushamakumari S. Nair

  2. Genome Analysis Laboratory, Rubber Research Institute of India, Rubber Board, P O, Kottayam, Kerala, India, 686009

    Thomas K. Uthup & Thakurdas Saha

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  1. Rekha Karumamkandathil
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  2. Thomas K. Uthup
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  3. Sobha Sankaran
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  4. Divya Unnikrishnan
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  6. Sushamakumari S. Nair
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Correspondence to Thomas K. Uthup.

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Karumamkandathil, R., Uthup, T.K., Sankaran, S. et al. Genetic and epigenetic uniformity of polyembryony derived multiple seedlings of Hevea brasiliensis . Protoplasma 252, 783–796 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-014-0713-1

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