1Bio-Resources Technology Division, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, PO Box 16, Tsukuba Norinkenkyu Danchi-Nai, Ibaraki-305, Japan
School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI-49931, USA
*Email for Correspondence: rcthakur@mtu.edu
Online published on 25 July, 2018.
Two narrow-leaf phenotypes (A and B) were identified among a population of hybrid poplar (Populus sieboldii x P grandidentata) regenerated through in vitro culture. The two variants appeared alike in them in appearance but differed significantly in appearance and size from the donor plant. Morphological studies revealed that phenotypic variants had higher number of branches and much smaller, narrower and thicker leaves than the parent plant. To elucidate the basis of these phenotypic variations random amplified polymorphic deoxyribonucleic acid (RAPD) analysis was performed on variants as well as on the normal plants. Among the 120 decamer primers of Operon Technology, Calif, only primers OPG 12, OPQ 04, OPF 20, and OPT 02 differentiated normal plants from the variants. Only one primer OPB 04 differentiated phenotype A from the normal plants and phenotype B with an additional band at 350 bp. Out of 386 reproducible markers from 120 primers obtained only 4 correlated with narrow-leaf phenotypes.
Hybrid poplar, in vitro culture, narrow-leaf phenotypes, RAPD, somaclonal variation
