Distinguishing among male sterile and fertile lines of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) by means of electrophoretic protein patterns

Vertical block SDS-PAAG electrophoresis of individual tomato seeds was used to examine the potential of seed proteins as gene markers for distinguishing male sterile from fertile lines and cultivars. Seeds of three genic male sterile lines and four fertile cultivars and lines were investigated. The line 6944 is carrier of the gene ms 10 ³⁵for pollen male sterility and the lines P-1a and PPS-3 carry the gene ps-2 for positional sterility. A modified extract solution which includes 1M tris — buffer pH 7.0, 7 % SDS, dimethylformamide and distilled water was applied. Qualitative variation in the A protein locus which could be used as a marker for distinguishing male sterile from fertile tomato lines was established.