RAPD and SCAR Markers Linked to Tea-Mosquito Resistance in Tea

Abstract

Tea mosquito (Helopeltis theivora) is a serious pest in tea (Camellia sinensis) growing regions, causing severe crop loss. Identification of markers associated with tea-mosquito resistance is necessary to develop cultivars tolerant to tea mosquito from the available germplasm. This study was conducted to identify random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers associated with tolerance against tea mosquito. The RAPD markers were then sequenced and converted into sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. A total of 138 decamer primers were used to screen genomic DNA from four susceptible and four relatively tolerant tea cultivars. Only three RAPD markers (OPW-03725, OPT-01625, and OPG-11750) were linked to tea-mosquito resistance. These markers were converted into co-dominant SCAR markers, Rht1, Rht2, and Rht3. This is the first study reporting the development of markers for tea-mosquito resistance. These markers can be used as an important tool to screen tea cultivars for tea-mosquito resistance/susceptibility.