Variety detection of Miyazaki conventional vegetable of "Sadowara" egg plant using RAPD-PCR method

Solanum melongena L. var. “Sadowara” egg plant, is a conventional vegetable of Miyazaki prefectural region, and it has been used as the crossing parent in egg plant bred in Japan, for example, “Enpitsunasu”, “Kubonasu”, and so on. One of the most important characteristics of “Sadowara”is the delicious taste when eating as Yakinasu (a grilled egg plant fruit). However, “Sadowara” had already been disappeared from the market for over 30 years. As a purpose of promoting Miyazaki prefectural economy and reviving the conventional vegetable, the “Sadowara” is a good choice as a model material. First of all, which “Sadowara” is the real “Sadowara” should be clarified for the merged new Miyazaki city, as the “Sadowara” has been kept respectively in old Sadowara town and old Miyazaki city since it disappeared from the market. In this study, RAPDPCR method has been used to detect the varieties of “Sadowara” provided respectively from old Sadowara town and old Miyazaki city. The results of RAPD-PCR products indicated that 1) there were no significant difference between the two “Sadowara” verities based on DNA band patterns, 2)they showed similarity of near 92% in DNA band patterns, and 3) as the controls, the other kinds of egg plant “Chikuyo-naganasu” and guinea grass (N68/96-8-O-11) used showed different DNA band patterns from the two “Sadowara”, when the same 12 primers were used. From these results, it is clear that the both “Sadowara” should be the same one and they should be considered as the conventional vegetable and original “Sadowara” variety of Miyazaki prefectural region. And in addition, a method for green house cultivation of “Sadowara” egg plant could be established based on the protocol carried out in this study. We hope the results of variety detection based on RAPD-PCR method and the cultivation method in this study, play a main role for the reviving of “Sadowara”, as a Miyazaki prefectural traditional vegetable, and development of local economy.