A pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) linkage map based on AFLP markers

Summary

A genetic linkage map of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.; 2n = 2x = 16) was constructed using 62 individuals of an F₁ progeny derived from a cross between a commercial pomegranate variety, ‘Malas Danesiyah Esfahani’ (MDE), and ‘Bihaste Danesefid Ravar’ (BDR), a genotype that carries a unique soft-seed character.Twenty-six amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) marker primer combinations yielded 216 useful markers, of which 144 were scored in MDE and 130 in BDR. In the MDE map, 67 AFLP markers covered 435.3 centiMorgans (cM) of the genome and included seven major groups and five minor groups, with a mean map distance between adjacent markers of 6.5 cM. In the BDR map, 66 AFLP markers were linked, producing seven major linkage groups and three minor groups with fewer than four markers, which covered 344.2 cM of the genome. The mean map distance between adjacent markers was 5.21 cM. A consensus map constructed using 67 AFLP markers covered 335.5 cM and eight marker groups.