A modified mini-prep method for economical and rapid extraction of genomic DNA in plants

Molecular markers for map-based cloning, marker-assisted selection in crop breeding, and genetic studies require DNA isolation from a large number of plants in a short span of time. Here we describe a modified DNA extraction method that is economical in terms of cost, time and labour. The method allows DNA extraction from as little as 0.2–0.3 g of leaves that are homogenized in zipper plastic bags, followed by DNA isolation in 1.5-mL Eppendorf tubes. By using the modified method, a DNA yield of 700–800 μg/300 mg leaf tissue was obtained from cotton and wheat samples. The quality of the DNA was quite suitable for PCR-based markers.