Using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for differentiation of strawberry cultivars in La Trinidad, Benguet

• Main Author: Matulac, John Mark B.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2017
• Subjects: Single nucleotide polymorphisms; Strawberries > Philippines > Benguet > La Trinidad; Strawberry industry > Philippines > Benguet > La Trinidad
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/5776
• Institution: De La Salle University

In La Trinidad, Benguet strawberry cultivars are usually planted side by side leading to difficulty in maintaining cultivar purity. It is hypothesized that improper handling of runners in open-field-planted strawberry plants may have caused mix-ups resulting in mistakenly identified cultivars. Improperly named cultivars also add to the confusion of cultivar identification. DNA analysis through single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is crucial in genetic studies not only for breeding programs but also to properly classify and determine the genuine identity of cultivars and hybrids. In this study, leaf samples of several cultivars were collected from several accessions of the germplasm collection of Benguet State University and strawberry growing areas in La Trinidad, Benguet. Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from the ANR gene was screened for putative SNPs. A total of 11 SNP markers were found and were used to genetically characterize the collected cultivars. The SNP markers were successful in discriminating between different cultivars which divided them into six clusters made up of 15 distinct genotypes. Clustering analysis showed inconsistencies between molecular classification and traditional classification provided by farmers. Accessions belonging to the same variety were separated into different clusters such as in the case of Sweet Charlie and Strawberry Festival. Sweet Charlie had four distinct genotypic identities while Strawberry Festival had three genotypic identities. Results indicate that there is a high probability of misidentification among the strawberry cultivars collected, which was supported when clustered cultivars were grouped by field sampling location. The strawberry SNP markers developed from this study could serve as a tool to assist in cultivar authentication, germplasm management, and breeding programs.