Development of SSR markers based on a survey of genomic sequences and their molecular analysis in banana (Musa spp.)

Summary

Musa (Family Musaceae) is economically the fourth most-important crop after rice, wheat, and maize. Present-day edible banana evolved by intra- and inter-specific hybridisation of two wild species M. acuminata and M. balbisiana. A total of 229 primers were designed based on a survey of the genomic sequence data available on Musa spp. in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database. Twenty-six microsatellite (SSR) markers were amplified in 15 banana accessions. These 26 SSR markers revealed a total of 88 alleles, ranging from two-to-six alleles per locus, with an average of 3.38 alleles per locus. Genetic analysis resulted in observed heterozygosity (H_o) values ranging from 0.06 – 0.80, with a mean of 0.40. Polymorphic information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.21 – 0.77, with a mean of 0.47. A dendogram based on the SSR data grouped the 15 different banana accessions into three groups. These new SSR markers may be of value for future characterisation of banana germplasm, gene mapping, and genetic analysis.