An assessment of genetic fidelity of in vitro grown plantlets of rose (Rosa hybrida) through molecular markers

A simple and routine method for the analysis of somaclonal variation among tissue culture derived rose plants is a prerequisite for precise monitoring of quality control during rapid mass micropropagation. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) molecular marker techniques were employed to validate the genetic fidelity in three varieties of Rosa hybrida [Culture varieties (cvs) First Red, Cri Cri and Pusa Gaurav] multiplied in vitro by axillary multiplication for up to 26 subcultures. Twelve RAPD and seventeen ISSR primers generated a total of 119, 104 and 114 amplicons in cvs First Red, Cri Cri and Pusa Gaurav, respectively. A homogeneous amplification profile was observed between the explant source and all the micropropagated plantlets. The result indicated the clonal fidelity of the tissue culture raised R. hybrida plantlets and corroborated the assumption that axillary multiplication is the safest mode for multiplication of true to type plants without any somaclonal variation.Key words: Rosa hybrida, in vitro, genetic fidelity, molecular markers