Genetic Fidelity Assessment of Strawberry (Fragaria Ananassa Duch.) Using Morpho-physio-biochemical and Molecular Markers

Abstract

This investigation on the “Genetic Fidelity Assessment of Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) Using Morpho-Physio-Biochemical and Molecular Markers.” was carried out in the College of Horticulture. The cultivated strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) a hybrid between the 'scarlet' or 'virginia' strawberry (Fragaria virginiana Duch.) and the pistillate South American strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis L. Duch.) is a dicotyledonous, perennial low growing herb grown in most arable regions of the world (Debnath, 2013). Conventionally, strawberry is propagated by runner seedlings but the conventional way of production is not adequate to meet the commercial demand (Ara et al., 2013). The tissue culture technique has been exploited in strawberry to meet the current demand. Tissue cultured plants and conventionally grown plants are tested for establish genetic stability with the help of ISSR markers. Different combinations of PGRs were evaluated for various Callus, shooting and rooting parameters. Callus formation study in MS media supplemented with 2,4-D and BAP was conducted and minimum days taken for callus induction 16.77±0.56 was recorded under 3.0mg/l 2,4-D + 2.0mg/l BAP, callus development percentage was highest 86.67±5.77 which was recorded under the treatment 3.0 mg/l 2,4-D + 2.0 mg/l BAP, weight of callus 1570.73±73.11 mg was recorded under 3.0 mg/l 2,4-D + 2.0 mg/l BAP and Maximum surface area (1504.65±22.93 mm2) of callus was recorded under 3.0 mg/l 2,4-D + 2.0 mg/l BAP. The earliest shoot initiation in 11.07±0.37 days was recorded under SNP 1.0 mg/l, BAP 1.5 mg/l, KN 1.5 mg/l and NAA 0.1 mg/l in MS media and found best among the treatment used in the study. Maximum number of shoots (11.07±0.37) under the combination SNP 1.0 mg/l, BAP 1.5 mg/l, KN 1.5 mg/l and NAA 0.1 mg/l, the highest length of shoot (4.21±0.17 cm) was recorded under the treatment SNP 1.0 mg/l, BAP 0.25 mg/l, KN 0.25 mg/l and NAA 0.1 mg/l, maximum number of leaves per explant (12.24±0.52) was recorded under SNP 1.0 mg/l, BAP 1.5 mg/l, KN 1.5 mg/l and NAA 0.1 mg/l and the maximum shoot regeneration percentage (100.00±0.00%) was recorded under SNP 1.0 mg/l, BAP 1.5 mg/l, KN 1.5 mg/l and NAA 0.1 mg/l. The In vitro regenerated shoots were transferred to the rooting media and earliest root induction (9.21±0.31 days) was observed under SNP 1.0 mg/l, NAA 2.0 mg/l and BAP 0.2 mg/l combination. The root induction percentage (96.67±5.77%) in MS media enriched with SNP 1.0 mg/l, NAA 1.0 mg/l and BAP 0.2 mg/l, maximum number of roots (8.03±0.42) was observed under SNP 1.0 mg/l, NAA 1.0 mg/l and BAP 0.2 mg/l and the highest length of root (3.75±0.46) found in media enriched with combination of NAA 3.0 mg/l and BAP 0.2 mg/l. Biochemical analysis using fruit of the conventionally grown plant showed highest total phenolic content (286.00±33.67 mg GAE/ 100 gm fresh weight), total flavonoid content (484.37±59.10 mg QE/100 gm), total vitamin c content (68.88±8.11 mg / 100 gm fresh weight) and antioxidant activity DPPH (88.43±10.79 % of inhibition) than in in vitro raised plants. A large number of plants can be produced under in vitro aseptic conditions, but there is always a danger of producing Soma clonal variants by tissue culture technology. Thus, the genetic fidelity of micro-propagated plantlets were evaluated using ISSR marker and most of the in vitro and mother plants were highly similar in their genetic constituents.