Date of Award

Winter 2010

Project Type

Thesis

Program or Major

Plant Biology

Degree Name

Master of Science

First Advisor

Thomas M Davis

Abstract

This research project aimed to develop genomic resources needed to enable construction of a genetic linkage map of the diploid mint species Mentha longifolia. Such a map would facilitate identification of plant genes involved in resistance to Verticillium fungal infection. For this purpose, a small genomic library was constructed from germplasm accession CMEN 585, 279 genomic inserts were sequenced and annotated and 19 PCR primer pairs were designed and tested on two resistant and two susceptible accessions. The Cleaved Modified Polymorphic Sequence (CAPS) method of molecular marker genotyping was found to detect little variation between crossing parents CMEN 585 (resistant) and CMEN 584 (susceptible). Comparative sequencing of PCR products from two European and two South African accessions revealed greater diversity between than within geographic locations. Future efforts should focus on assessing more sensitive genotyping methods, and developing a mapping population from a cross between European and South African accessions.

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