Identification of Transposable Element Markers for a Rust (Puccinia arachidis Speg.) Resistance Gene in Cultivated Peanut

Peanut rust (Puccinia arachidis Speg.) affects pod yield and quality up to an extent of 10–50%. Efforts have been made on transferring the rust resistance gene to cultivated peanut species through interspecific hybridization. But, in most of the cases, it failed due to linkage drag of undesirable plant and pod features. Identification of tightly linked molecular markers will help to identify the desirable recombinants more efficiently. A recombinant inbred line population comprising 164 lines was developed from a cross between a rust‐resistant parent VG 9514 and a rust susceptible parent TAG 24. Using a modified bulk segregant analysis, 243 transposable element (TE) primer pairs were screened for putative linkage with rust resistance. Of the 243, 40 TE primer pairs were found polymorphic between parents and two transposable element markers, and TE 360 and TE 498 were found associated with rust resistance gene. Based on genetic mapping, TE 360 was found linked to the rust resistance gene at 4.5 cM distance. Identification of such markers could be applied for marker‐assisted selection of rust resistance plants in peanut.