Cultivar identification in upland cotton using RAPD markers

Using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method, the identification and the genetic description of 28 upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars currently cultivated in Greece was attempted. Based on the results of a preliminary experiment using 50 ten-base arbitrary primers, 24 were selected for the main experiment. DNA bands totaling 181 were observed, 118 (65.2%) of which were polymorphic. On the average, 7.5 DNA bands were amplified per primer, 4.9 of which were polymorphic. The unique identification of all cultivars studied was made possible using 27 specific polymorphic bands (markers) corresponding to 16 primers and a specially constructed key. The genetic similarity of the cultivars was estimated using Jaccard's similarity coefficient, which ranged from 0.614 to 0.922, indicating a relatively narrow genetic base. Cluster analysis by the Unweighted Pair Group Method of Arithmetic means (UPGMA) showed that 21 of the cultivars could be placed into 3 major groups. A similar clustering of the cultivars was obtained using principal coordinate analysis.