Identification of suitable RAPD primers to analyse oilseed rape(Brassica napus L.) genetic variability in some regions of Lithuania

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is an important crop grown in many countries for supplying oil, feed and biofuel. Oilseed rape cultivation areas in Lithuania are expand-ing every year and reached up to 67 thousand ha spring and 53 thousand ha winter rapeseed in 2007. There are 35 cultivars of winter oilseed rape registered in Lithuania. The main task of the work was to choose suitable RAPD markers for investigation of oilseed rape genetic polymorphism among and within oilseed varieties in randomly selected regions of Lithuania. No such kind of investigation has been made in Lithuania showing genetic polymorphism within different cultivars, or in the same cultivar. Until now, no GM oilseed rape has been grown in our country. In 2006 a notification was presented about GM spring rape (Brassica napus L.) field trials (BASF Plant Science GmbH). Therefore, it is particularly important to record the baseline - genetic variability within oilseed rape populations and individual plants, gene flow with other Cruciferaeand feral species prior to the market release of GMO (Wilhelm & Schiemann 2006). The main concern is unintentional transfer of the transgene to non-GM Brassica crops and to wild relatives. RAPD analysis has been widely used in recent studies on Brassicacrops. [...]Vytauto Didžiojo universiteta