Development of molecular marker for nitrate reductase (NR) gene to improve nitrogen use efficiency in potato

Abstract

Two diverse potato varieties Kufri Jyoti (N inefficient) and Kufri Gaurav (N efficient) were used to amplify, clone and analyze the sequence of nitrate reductase (NR) gene, involved in N metabolism in plants. Only single, distinct and un-fractioned two fragments amplified by the NR gene-based primers were cloned and sequence analyzed. Following sequence analysis, non-redundant sequences with uninterrupted open reading frames of NR homologues were identified to the known N metabolism. A cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) marker of the NR gene was developed for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in potato. The CAPS marker was validated in a tetraploid mapping population of 123 individuals and 48 potato varieties for its polymorphism. Thus, the development of new CAPS marker would be useful for MAS with better nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in potato.