DETERMINATION OF PLOIDY LEVEL AND NUCLEAR-DNA CONTENT IN BLUEBERRY BY FLOW-CYTOMETRY

D E COSTICH, R ORTIZ, T R MEAGHER, L P BRUEDERLE, N VORSA

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The technique of DNA flow cytometry was used to study variation in DNA content among different ploidy levels, as well as among diploid species, of Vaccinium section Cyanococcus. In a sample of plants of varying ploidy level, the relative fluorescence intensity (RFI) of nuclei stained with propidium iodide was a function of the number of chromosome sets (x), as represented by the linear equation RFI = 3.7x - 2.3 (r2 = 95%). The data indicated that DNA flow cytometry could be useful for the determination of ploidy level at the seedling stage in blueberry. They also suggest that ''conventional polyploid evolution'' has occurred in this section of the genus Vaccinium with an increase in nuclear DNA content concurrent with the increase in chromosome number. The nuclear DNA content of diploid species of Vaccinium section Cyanococcus was estimated from the relationship of the observed RFI to an internal known DNA standard (trout red blood cells). A nested analysis of variance indicated significant variation among species, as well as among populations within species, in nuclear DNA content, although this variation was small compared to the variation among ploidy levels. The variation in nuclear DNA content corresponded to the phylogenetic relationships among species determined from previous studies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1001-1006
Number of pages6
JournalTheoretical and Applied Genetics
Volume86
Issue number8
Publication statusPublished - Sept 1993

Keywords

  • VACCINIUM
  • GENOME SIZE
  • NUCLEAR DNA CONTENT
  • POLYPLOID EVOLUTION
  • CORYMBOSUM PENTAPLOID HYBRIDS
  • EVOLUTION
  • FERTILITY
  • PLANTS

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'DETERMINATION OF PLOIDY LEVEL AND NUCLEAR-DNA CONTENT IN BLUEBERRY BY FLOW-CYTOMETRY'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this