Methods for assessing genetic stability of garden strawberry plants

Genetic stability of plants under in vitro cultivation plays a crucial role in selecting elite genotypes and obtaining certified planting material of the corresponding variety. Previously, the assessment of plant genetic stability involved mainly phenotypic and biochemical methods, which have their advantages and disadvantages. However, recently, molecular genetic and flow cytometric methods have been actively developed. Therefore, a comprehensive methodology for assessing the genetic stability of in vitro material should be developed. This study aims to assess the genetic stability of the Vityaz and Alpha varieties of garden strawberry, which was bred at the Federal Horticultural Center for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery, using molecular genetic, cytometric, and phenotypic methods. From the DNA content different from the original samples, the presence of genetic heterogeneity in varieties with phenotypic deviations (shrub and leaf characteristics, leaf coloration), the study revealed deviations in the genotype of plants grown both in vitro and by conventional vegetative propagation. The suggested methods succeeded in diagnosing the genetic stability of the studied garden strawberry varieties in vitro, correlating with the results observed with traditional vegetative propagation, and thus can be used to evaluate the genetic stability of varieties and breeding forms of Fragaria x ananassa Duch.

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