Identification of a DNA marker linked to sex determination in Calamus tenuis Roxb., an economically important rattan species in northeast India

Calamus tenuis (Roxb.), a versatile, dioecious rattan species predominant in northeast India, has emerged as an economical material for light furniture and cottage industries. For the genetic improvement of the species, it is essential to be able to recognize male and female plants at the seedling stage. Screening of genomic DNA with inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers was used to discover sex-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification products. Thirty ISSR primers were screened on female and male C. tenuis plants from five different provinces of Assam, India. A putative female-specific marker was identified. The applicability of ISSR-PCR analysis for development of sex-linked molecular markers in Calamus is discussed.