Improvement of Forage Quality in Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) through Genetic Manipulation. : 1. Detection of somaclonal variation using RAPD analysis in plants regenerated from suspension cultures

Abstract

Genetic changes in regenerated plants, caused by the tissue culture process (somaclonal variation), have become a possible means of improvement for many plant species including bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum). The objective of this study is to investigate genetic variation of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers in primary plants regenerated by an embryogenic suspension culture. RAPD markers, ten different short (decamer) oligonucleotide primers of arbitrary nucleotide sequence in combination with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used, did not reveal any preexisting polymorphisms in control plant seedlings. However, in three out of 28 plants regenerated from embryogenic suspension cultures variation for at least one of the RAPD markers was found. This is clear evidence of tissue culture-derived, newly-generated variation in bahiagrass.