Assessment of the usability of four molecular markers to ıdentify potato genotypes suitable for processing

Abstract

The development of processing potato cultivars through a conventional breeding program requires a detailed analysis of post-harvest traits, which is a process that demands high labor and is often time-consuming. Visual selection by breeders is biased and difficult in the field, particularly for quality traits, which shows the importance of marker-assisted selection over conventional techniques. In this study, four allele-specific markers, AGPsS-9a, Stp23-8b, StpL-3e, and Pain1-8c, developed from tuber quality-related genes, were used to screen a breeding population of the NOHU for processing traits to check the efficiency of these markers in processing trait selection. Marker association with tuber quality trait results showed that AGPsS-9a (0, absent) and StpL-3e (0) individually were associated with increased chips quality, yet their individual presence improved the reducing sugar content. Further, Pain1-8c presence was associated with high levels of reducing sugar accumulation and lower dry matter content, specific gravity, and starch content. The marker combination Stp23-8b (0) and StpL-3e (0) reached statistical significance (P≤0.05) for better chips quality in the NOHU population. However, the markers (individual and combination) showed poor selection efficiency as a diagnostic marker, possibly reasoning from the multigenic inheritance of tuber quality traits, population structure, and environment.