title: Identification of molecular markers associated with mite resistance in coconut (Cocos nucifera L.).
abstract: Coconut mite (Aceria guerreronis 'Keifer') has become a major threat to Indian coconut (Coçcos nucifera L.) cultivators and the processing industry. Chemical and biological control measures have proved to be costly, ineffective, and ecologically undesirable. Planting mite-resistant coconut cultivars is the most effective method of preventing yield loss and should form a major component of any integrated pest management stratagem. Coconut genotypes, and mite-resistant and -susceptible accessions were collected from different parts of South India. Thirty-two simple sequence repeat (SSR) and 7 RAPD primers were used for molecular analyses. In single-marker analysis, 9 SSR and 4 RAPD markers associated with mite resistance were identified. In stepwise multiple regression analysis of SSRs, a combination of 6 markers showed 100% association with mite infestation. Stepwise multiple regression analysis for RAPD data revealed that a combination of 3 markers accounted for 83.86% of mite resistance in the selected materials. Combined stepwise multiple regression analysis of RAPD and SSR data showed that a combination of 5 markers explained 100% of the association with mite resistance in coconut. Markers associated with mite resistance are important in coconut breeding programs and will facilitate the selection of mite-resistant plants at an early stage as well as mother plants for breeding programs.
authors.affiliation: Plant Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore 560065, India.
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Shalini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manjunatha
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lebrun
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baudouin
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pirany
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ranganath
authors.forename: D Theertha
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Prasad
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D000818:Animals; D003059:Cocos / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology*; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005843:Geography; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007194:India; D008925:Mites / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant; D005819:Genetic Markers