Plant Soil Environ., 2005, 51(2):65-73 | DOI: 10.17221/3557-PSE

Alleles controlling apple skin colour and incompatibility in new Czech apple varieties with different degrees of resistance against Venturia inaequalis CKE.

M. Melounová¹, P. Vejl¹, P. Sedlák¹, J. Blažek², J. Zoufalá¹, Z. Milec³, H. Blažková¹

¹ Czech University of Agriculture in Prague, Czech Republic

² Research and Breeding Institute of Pomology, Holovousy, Czech Republic

³ Research Institute of Crop Production, Prague-Ruzyně, Czech Republic

The skin colour of 21 varieties was assessed on a molecular level. Four varieties had yellow skin colour with the genotype constitution a¹a¹, a¹a² or a²a². Seventeen varieties had dominant red colour. Homozygous A¹A¹ constitution was present in 7 varieties, and heterozygous constitution A¹a¹ or A¹a² was found in the rest of the assessed varieties. The S-alleles controlled the incompatibility system of the pistil. Their detection is possible by means of the PCR method on the basis of allele specific primers. Six S-alleles (S1, S2, S3, S5, S7 and S9) were studied in the same collection of 21 diploid Czech varieties. This paper brings new findings on S-allele characterization, because the Czech varieties have not yet been studied on a molecular level. Both types of S-allele were found in 12 varieties. Only one type of S-allele was described in 9 varieties. Simultaneously, the presence of the Vf gene was screened in the collection of 21 Czech apple varieties. Ten varieties with a field resistance against the scab had a heterozygous constitution of the Vf gene. All 11 susceptible varieties were recessive homozygous vfvf.

Keywords: Malus; PCR; Vf gene; incompatibility; S-allele; skin colour; A-allele

Published: February 28, 2005  Show citation