Development of SCAR markers to differentiate between mume (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) and apricot (P-armeniaca L.)

Mume (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) and apricot (P armeniaca L.) are similar in fruit and tree morphology, and exhibit high cross- and graft-compatibility with each other. It is therefore difficult to differentiate mume and apricot cultivars on the basis of morphological and phenotypical characteristics. Molecular markers were developed to differentiate nine mume from ten apricot cultivars. Four dominant, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers that can discriminate between mume and apricot cultivars (designated OPA15(628), OPO10(550), OPO20(259), and OPU03(415)) were identified from 21 decamer primers. Two RAPD markers (OPO10550 and OPU03415) were developed into dominant sequence-characterised amplified region (SCAR) markers (SCO10 and SCU03). These SCAR markers could differentiate between all mume and apricot cultivars.