DNA-based assays to distinguish date palm (Arecaceae) gender.
OBJECTIVE
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is one of the oldest cultivated trees and is critical to the development of arid land. The date palm is a dioecious monocot with separate male and female trees. This presents a challenge in development as it is impossible to distinguish trees until they flower approximately five to eight years after planting.


RESULTS
We have developed PCR-based assays capable of sex differentiation in multiple date palm cultivars. The primers are designed across gender-specific polymorphisms and demonstrated greater than 90% accuracy in distinguishing date palm gender across multiple varieties.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the primers should be helpful in rapidly distinguishing date palm gender from the earliest stages that DNA can safely be collected. This is a vast savings in time over present approaches.
Genomics Core, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Doha, Qatar.
Maryam E
ME
Al-Mahmoud
Eman K
EK
Al-Dous
Eman K
EK
Al-Azwani
Joel A
JA
Malek
D028023:Arecaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics*; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014197:Trees
D017931:DNA Primers; D018744:DNA, Plant