RAPD based DNA markers linked to anthracnose disease resistance in Sorghum bicolor ( L.) Moench.

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum graminicola is one of the major diseases of sorghum. The locus for disease resistance in sorghum [Sorghum biocolor (L.) Moench] accession G73 was found to segregate as a simple recessive trait in a cross to susceptible cultivar HC136. In order to identify molecular markers linked to the locus for disease resistance, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was coupled with bulk segregant analysis. DNA from the parental cultivars and the bulks were, screened by PCR amplification with 114 RAPD primers. Three RAPD primers amplified a sequence that consegregated with the recessive resistance allele, while another three amplified a band linked to the susceptible allele. The six disease linked markers were screened with individual resistant and susceptible genotypes to observe degree of linkage of identified RAPD markers with the gene for resistance. Two primer sequences (OPI 16 and OPD 12) were found to be closely linked to the locus for disease resistance.