Determination of the genetic stability in cassava plants obtained by somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis using AFLP

Abstract

AFLP techniques have been reported to determine the genetic stability at a molecular level of cassava plants propagated by several methods: somatic embryogenesis, organogenesis and field conditions. ‘CMC-76’, ‘CEMSA 74-725’ and ‘Señorita’ clones from the germplasm collection kept at the INIVIT were used. Two Kit for AFLPs were applied, one of them combined selection primers +2/+3 (AFLP Analysis System II GibcoBRL) and the other +3/+3 (AFLP® Analysis System I, GibcoBRL®). 44 combination primers (EcoRI + 2 ó EcoRI + 3) were tested and five were selected as the most efficient. Plants derived from different propagation methods within each clone resulted identical genetically and differences were only observed in the three studied clones. This result corroborates the efficiency of AFLPs to study the genetic stability of micropropagated material, storaged at medium term or in cryoconservation. Besides, plants obtained with these techniques can be used for the production of high quality planting material in this crop. Key word: genetic stability, organogenesis, somatic embryogenesis