Plant Genome IV Conference Plant Genome IV Conference
We present a method to identify molecular markers tightly-linked to a genomic interval in outbred pedigrees. Using information from fully-informative RFLP markers, we constructed four DNA pools from nonrecombinant progeny of a three-generation outbred pedigree. The four pools were screened to identify linked RAPD markers. The phase and zygosity of a linked RAPD marker could be determined directly from the array of RAPD bands present or absent. Four hundred primers were tested on the four DNA pools, nineteen of which revealed putatively linked loci. Nine RAPD loci were mapped to the target genomic interval. All RAPD markers were analyzed for association to wood specific gravity by analysis of variance. The approach developed here could be generally applied to high-resolution mapping in outbred pedigrees where fully-informative markers have previously been mapped.