Genetic linkage mapping in peach using morphological, RFLP and RAPD markers.

We have constructed a genetic linkage map of peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] consisting of RFLP, RAPD and morphological markers, based on 71 F2 individuals derived from the self-fertilization of four F1 individuals of a cross between 'New Jersey Pillar' and KV 77119. This progeny, designated as the West Virginia (WV) family, segregates for genes controlling canopy shape, fruit flesh color, and flower petal color, size and number. The segregation of 65 markers, comprising 46 RFLP loci, 12 RAPD loci and seven morphological loci, was analyzed. Low-copy genomic and cDNA probes were used in the RFLP analysis. The current genetic map for the WV family contains 47 markers assigned to eight linkage groups covering 332 centi Morgans (cM) of the peach nuclear genome. The average distance between two adjacent markers is 8 cM. Linkage was detected between Pillar (Pi) and double flowers (Dl) RFLP markers linked to Pi and flesh color (γ) loci were also found. Eighteen markers remain unassigned. The individuals analyzed for linkage were not a random sample of all F2 trees, as an excess of pillar trees were chosen for analysis. Because of this, Pi and eight other markers that deviated significantly from the expected Mendelian ratios (e.g., 1∶2∶1 or 3∶1) were not eliminated from the linkage analysis. Genomic clones that detect RFLPs in the WV family also detect significant levels of polymorphism among the 34 peach cultivars examined. Unique fingerprint patterns were created for all the cultivars using only six clones detecting nine RFLP fragments. This suggests that RFLP markers from the WV family have a high probability of being polymorphic in crosses generated with other peach cultivars, making them ideal for anchor loci. This possibility was examined by testing RFLP markers developed with the WV family in three other unrelated peach families. In each of these three peach families respectively 43%, 54% and 36% of RFLP loci detected in the WV family were also polymorphic. This finding supports the possibility that these RFLP markers may serve as anchor loci in many other peach crosses.