Potato DNA Fingerprinting and Variety Identification at Michigan State University

 

Potato Fingerprinting Service at MSU

  • Over 30 years of potato investigations and variety identification
  • Available as a service to the potato industry
  • Isozyme electrophoresis, since 1989, has been replaced by DNA fingerprinting
  • Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) since 2002
  • Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) since 2013

Please contact Joseph Coombs for further information about these services.

 

MIfielddifferentvarieties

 

Our Methods:

Potato Fingerprinting and Variety Identification

  • DNA Fingerprinting is increasingly important
  • Powerful tool for variety identification
  • Importance for seed certification and PVP
  • Identity preservation can be challenging
    • Commercial production of over 700 different potato varieties and breeding lines in the US and Canada
    • Breeding programs with thousands of different breeding lines
  • Incorrect variety identification can have large economic consequences
  • DNA Fingerprinting can help confirm correct variety identification
    • Confirm genotypes in tissue culture and before minituber production
    • Field seed mixes
    • Mix in supermarket bags
    • Tuber variants in seed or ware
    • Brand/Variety monitoring
    • IP protection
    • Plant Variety Protection (PVP)
    • Tissue culture bank assessment

 

Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) Fingerprinting

  • Good for “known” unknowns
  • Is this sample potato ‘A’ or ‘B’ ?
  • DNA-based marker
  • Comparison of approximately 20 alleles from 6-9 markers

DNAmarkergel

Further information on this fingerprinting method is described in the journal article:

Coombs, J. J., L.M. Frank, D.S. Douches.  2004. An applied fingerprinting system for cultivated potato using simple sequence repeats. Amer. J. Potato Res. 81: 243-250.


SNP Fingerprinting using the Illumina Infinium SNP Array

  • Best approach for “unknown” unknowns
  • Excellent accuracy, precision, and robustness
  • DNA-based marker
  • 5,000 – 10,000 markers with tetraploid dosage
  • 2,500+ clone MSU SNP genotype database
  • Longer analysis time from DNA to data

SNPexampleSNPchip

Further information on this fingerprinting method is described in the journal article:

Hirsch, C.N., Hirsch, C.D., Felcher, K., Coombs, J., Zarka, D., Van Deynze, A., De Jong, W., Veilleux, R., Jansky, S., Bethke, P., Douches, D., Buell, C.R. 2013. Retrospective view of North American potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) breeding in the 20th and 21st centuries. Genes Genomes and Genetics. doi:10.1534/g3.113.005595.

 

 

Michigan State University
  • Spartans Will.
  • © Michigan State University

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer, committed to achieving excellence through a diverse workforce and inclusive culture that encourages all people to reach their full potential.

Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Quentin Tyler, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.

The 4-H Name and Emblem have special protections from Congress, protected by code 18 USC 707.

We comply with the Federal Trade Commission 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).