Application of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers to identify Taxus chinensis var. mairei cultivars associated with parthenogenesis

The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique has been widely applied to identify different varieties of plants for molecular breeding. However, application of RAPD markers to identify parthenogenesis in plants has not been reported. In this investigation, we used pedigree and RAPD markers to differentiate different Taxus chinensis var. mairei cultivars that were associated with parthenogenesis. Among 180 and eighty RAPD primers used, 108 primers generated RAPD bands from genomic DNA of T. chinensis var. mairei cultivars ("Jingzhou" and "Baokang"). Six hundred and thirty-three RAPD loci bands were produced and used to identify eight cultivars with unique banding patterns. Pedigree and RAPD data demonstrated that T. chinensis var. mairei cultivars with parthenogenesis were separated from others in both "Jingzhou" and "Baokang" cultivars. These results provide evidence for identification of parthenogenesis and confirm that the RAPD technique is especially suitable for identification of T. chinensis var. mairei cultivars for agricultural purposes.