Identification of rust resistance in groundnut using a validated SSR marker

Abstract

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important crop cultivated in over 100 countries in the world. The rust disease of groundnut, caused by Puccinia arachidis Speg., can cause significant yield losses in tropical and subtropical areas. The disease affects not only seed yield but also fodder yield and quality. There are chemicals available to control rust; however, the development of resistant varieties is the most reasonable way to improve yield and quality, and to reduce the adverse effects of chemicals on the ecosystem. Characterization of germplasm diversity to identify resistant sources using traditional methods is a lengthy process and requires laborious field testing. Molecular marker-aided selection offers an alternative breeding method that is relatively easy, precise, and not affected by environmental fluctuation. In the present study, a validated SSR marker, GM1954, linked to the rust disease resistance gene was used for 256 groundnut genotypes to select rust resistance. This study reports the successful application of marker-assisted selection for further rust-resistant breeding programs in groundnut. Molecular analyses revealed that the banding pattern related to disease resistance was observed at high frequency in the variety hypogaea among the nine identified resistant genotypes in the collection. Approximately 3 % of the collection was selected for further field, greenhouse, and hybridization experiments.