Screening of Barley Genotypes for Drought Tolerance Using Molecular Markers

Drought is one of the most important abiotic factors constraining barley production. Drought tolerance of 32 barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) samples of different varieties (21 genotypes-Nutans, 11-Pallidum) and origin have been analyzed with the method of RAPD-PCR. Oligomeric decamer RAPD primers (5′ TCGGCGGTTC 3′) and Р7 (5′ TCGGCGGTTC 3′), associated with drought tolerance have been used. RAPD PCR using P6 marker revealed characteristic loci at 920 bp region in 75% of genotype electrophoretic profiles. Loci were detected at 750 bp region in 78% of the analyzed barley genotypes when using RAPD P7 marker. Comparative analysis of the RAPD spectra showed that characteristic for both markers fragments had been synthesized in 59% of the genotypes (or 19 genotypes). This confirms an existence of a special locus associated with drought tolerance in the barley genotypes. In 6% (2 genotypes) of the studied genotypes characteristic amplification fragments have not been identified with both markers.