DNA Markers and Their Application in Plant Breeding for Disease Resistance in Wheat

N. A. ALEXANDROVA, E. G. TODOROVSKA, E. I. MARINOVA and A. I. ATANASSOV

Institute of Genetic Engineering, BG-2232 Kostinbrod-2, Bulgaria

Abstract

ALEXANDROVA, N. A., E. G. TODOROVSKA, E. I. MARINOVA and A. I. ATANASSOV, 1999. DNA markers and their application in plant breeding for disease resistance in wheat. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 5: 551-560

DNA – based markers possess the potential to be used as markers for desirable characters that are difficult or time – consuming for conventional breeding methods. Techniques which are particularly promising in assisting selection for agronomically important traits involve the use of molecular markers such as random – amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs), microsatellites and PCR – based DNA -markers such as sequence characterized amplified regions (SCARs) and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). The molecular bases and the fields of application of the former marker systems are discussed. Molecular markers tightly linked to several disease resistance genes in wheat are reviewed.

Key words: DNA-markers, Triticum aestivum L., marker – assisted selection