Identification of putative DNA markers for disease resistance breeding in Indian cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.)

Identification of DNA marker(s) linked to desirable gene(s) is a basic stride for speeding up of breeding procedure. To exploit this strategy, the present study was designed to identify putatively linked DNA markers to downy mildew resistance gene in Indian cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.). For this, 'BR-2' and 'Pusa Himjyoti', the two genotypes having contrasting reaction traits to downy mildew were selected. Of 190 primers (115 RAPDs, 72 ISSRs and 7 SSRs) screened in the study, 171 were properly amplified and 88.3% of them were monomorphic between these two genotypes at first screening. The reproducibility analysis further reduced the polymorphic primers from 20 to 11, which included 4 RAPD primers (OPB18(1276), OPB20(1174), OPC14(1186) & OPE14(1881)) and 7 ISSRs (ISSR5(525), ISSR8(1125), ISSR11(550), ISSR12(1050), ISSR23(1103), ISSR30(575) & ISSR35(620)). These markers showed robust reproducibility during the study. Therefore, further research in this direction has. potential to identify linked markers at least for contrasting horticultural traits and disease resistance in both parents.