Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP) for Discrimination of SFB Alleles in Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) S-genotyping

S-genotyping in self-incompatible fruit tree species is essential to plan crossing programs and design orchards. Molecular approaches are the best methods to determine the exact S-allele combination of cultivars either by identifying SRNase (the female determinant) or SFB (the male determinant). In apricot, PCR amplification of SFB often produces DNA fragments similar in length; therefore it is very difficult to identify polymorphisms on agarose gels. To overcome this bottleneck the SSCP (Single Strand Conformational Polymorphism) technique was applied to discriminate the allelic variants of this gene and to select the different related fragments which led to clone and sequence them. Combining the use of PCR and single-strand conformation polymorphisms (SSCP), seven sequences from the apricot genome were successfully identified and three new ones were proposed.