Evaluation of clonal integrity in desert date tree (Balanites aegyptiaca Del.) by inter-simple sequence repeat marker assay

Axillary shoot bud multiplication as a safest mode of micropropagation to obtain clonal progeny was revealed through the application of molecular marker technique in Balanites aegyptiaca. Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to evaluate the genetic constancy of micropropagated plantlets chosen from a clonal collection of shoots that originated from mature nodal explants (mother plant). Out of 20 ISSR primers screened, ten primers yielded reliable and reproducible patterns of amplified products in all the tested plants. In this study, on an average, 11.7 bands were amplified per primer. A total of 117 bands were scored for the tissue culture-raised plantlets; 115 amplification products were monomorphic and 2 bands were polymorphic. Based on the ISSR band data, 98.2 % genetic uniformity was detected among the regenerants. Thus, the amplification products validated that the plantlets were true-to-type in morphological or growth characteristics when compared with the mother plant.