Development of SSR Markers to Characterize Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Somaclones with Improved Starch Accumulation

Adly, Walaa M.R.M.; Abdelkader, Hayam S.; Mohamed, Mahasen A.; EL-Denary, Mohammad E.; Sayed, ElSayed T.; Fouad, Ahmed S.

doi:10.21608/ejbo.2023.212700.2341

Development of SSR Markers to Characterize Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Somaclones with Improved Starch Accumulation

Document Type : Regular issue (Original Article)

Authors

¹ Horticulture Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza 12619, Egypt

² Virus Research Department, Plant Pathology Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza 12619, Egypt

³ Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt

10.21608/ejbo.2023.212700.2341

Abstract

This study investigated potato tubers' starch and sugar content from different callus-sourced clones compared to the original cultivar Lady Rosetta. The clones were categorized based on their starch content, with some clones having similar starch content to Lady Rosetta, some with lower starch content, and others with higher starch content. The tubers were grown in a specific mixture of sand, peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, and foam for four months, after which their dry matter, starch, and sugar content were analyzed. The sugar content was determined using ethanol extraction, while the starch content was measured using the anthrone method. The results unveiled significant differences in starch and sugar contents among the tested potato clones. While soluble sugar content showed no significant correlation with starch content, a significant positive correlation was found between dry matter content and starch content. The dry matter content varied among the clones, with some showing significantly higher values than Lady Rosetta. SSR-PCR analysis was performed using six SSR primers to assess genetic diversity among potato clones. The analysis generated distinct and reproducible banding patterns, with 68 bands, of which 62 were polymorphic. The primers amplified unique bands specific to certain clones, and the polymorphic information content (PIC) was calculated for each marker. The genetic relationships among the clones were illustrated using a clustering dendrogram based on Jaccard's coefficient. In conclusion, the utilized SSR markers effectively identified the starch content in potato tubers clones originating from callus, thereby contributing to advancements in potato breeding and crop improvement endeavors.

Keywords