USE OF MOLECULAR MARKERS TO OPTIMIZE PARENTAL CHOICES FOR OBTAINING NEW COMMERCIAL PERFORMING ASPARAGUS VARIETIES

For speeding up and optimizing the long process of creating new asparagus cultivars, Darbonne has decided to integrate molecular marker as analyzing tools. RAPD's, SSR's and AFLP's were considered to be good candidates for classifying genotypes in different groups and thereby assessing genetic distances as well as genetic expected gains. First data obtained with RAPD's markers, have shown hybrid bands when compared with parental profiles. With RAPD’s marker data, it was also possible to set up groups which differentiated clones and isogenic plants for sexual behaviour, in bulk and individual plant as well. With the first SSR's analyzes Darbonne breeders were able to better classify their genetic variability and, therefore, optimize their hybridization schemes. Reliability and accuracy of the both molecular marker techniques used will be discussed according to their potential for differentiate genetic groups.