Developing Microsatellite Multiplex and Megaplex PCR Systems for High-Throughput Characterization of Breeding Progenies and Linkage Maps Spanning the Apricot (Prunus armeciaca L.) Genome

One hundred and twenty apricot and peach simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers have been used in the molecular characterization of a BC1 apricot progeny of 73 seedlings derived from the cross between the F1 selection "Z506-07" ("Orange Red" x "Currot") and the Spanish cultivar "Currot." To reduce costs and improve the capacity of molecular characterization assays using SSR markers, a series of seven megaplex PCRs containing between six and 20 SSR markers were developed for the molecular characterization of the apricot breeding progeny studied. Amplification was successful in apricot progenitors and in the progeny with 114 of the 120 (95%) SSR markers with a suitable level of polymorphism (1.7 alleles/marker) detected in the BC1 descendants studied. In addition, the implementation of megaplex PCR increased the efficiency and reduced the cost of this type of molecular studies. The implications of these results for apricot-breeding programs and the construction of genetic linkage maps have been also discussed.