Seed genetic purity testing of F1 hybrid cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) with molecular marker analysis

The potential use of three types of PCR-based markers, RAPD, ISSR and SSR, as tools for cabbage hybrid seed purity determination is presented in this study. The cabbage F, hybrid cultivar 'Xinxia 50' and its parents were analyzed with 83 RAPD primers, 49 ISSR primers and 56 SSR primers. Two RAPD primers (NAURP2068 and NAURP2079), two ISSR primers (NAUISR 1034 and NAUISR 1062) and one SSR primer (NAUSSR 1011), which produced male and female parent-specific markers simultaneously in the hybrid, can be applied successfully for testing the genetic purity of this hybrid. The genotype of hybrid 'Xinxia 50' was determined using these five primers. Of the 228 F(1) hybrid seeds tested, 16 appeared to be false hybrids. Eight out of the 16 putative false hybrids exhibited similar band patterns to the female parent with all five identified primers, suggesting that they could be derived front selfing of the female parent plant. The results were in high accordance with those from field grow-out trials (GOT). These identified markers could be an efficient tool in the process of quality control of hybrid seeds.