Efficiency of biparental crossing in sugarcane analyzed by SSR markers

Abstract

Sugarcane has hermaphrodite flowers, however, selfing and cross pollination may occur, resulting in selfed or hybrid progeny. The aim of this study was to analyze the paternity of progenies from biparental crosses, in order to identify true hybrids or progenies originating from pollen of unknown origin. Seventy-six progenies from four crosses were analyzed using three highly polymorphic microsatellite markers (SSR). Progenies showed moderate genetic similarity and were grouped into four distinct groups, according to the crosses. Transmission of alleles from parents to offspring was clearly observed, in which selfed individuals were not observed, and only true hybrids or progeny resulting from fertilization with pollen uncommon to both parents were. Results showed that there was contamination with pollen from unknown parents in sugarcane crosses, suggesting that errors in the pedigree may occur, and adjustment in the crossing procedure would decrease progenies from pollen of unknown origin.