Investigation of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) resistance inalmond rootstocks with DNA markers

Seven almond varieties, Ferragnes, Nemaguard, AB3 (Amygdalus orientalis Mill.), GN22, GF677, Myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera), and Pissardi nigra, and F1 crossbreed almonds, Ferragnes × Pissardi nigra, Ferragnes × Myrobalan, Ferragnes × GN22, Nemaguard × GF677, Myrobalan × AB3 (Prunus dulcis Mill.), Myrobalan × Ferragnes, Pissardi nigra × AB3, and GF677 × Myrobalan, were used to determine resistance against root-knot nematode (RKN) (Meloidogyne spp.) using DNA markers. Parental lines and 316 F1 plants were tested with SSR (plgms8, plgms9, and plgms19) and STS (STS-OPS14a, STS-834b) markers. It was found that plgms19 exhibited 76%, 77.01%, 73.13%, and 86.6% inheritance of resistance in the Ferragnes × Pissardi nigra, Ferragnes × Myrobalan, Ferragnes × GN22, and Nemaguard × GF677 F1 populations, respectively. No resistance was detected in the Nemaguard × GF677 population with the plgms8 marker. Since the plgms19 and STS-834b primers were found to be effective at high ratios in determining resistance to RKN in the Nemaguard × GF677 F1 population, the use of these markers could be included in breeding studies. It was also detected that the STS-OPS14a primer is appropriate to use for determining the sensitivity to RKN in almond rootstocks.