Two Novel PCR-based Assays for Sexing of and Plants

Overview

Journal MethodsX

Specialty Pathology

Date 2024 Apr 23

PMID 38651001

Authors

Anna M Hewett

Julia Sanchez Vilas

Frank Hailer

Affiliations

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Abstract

and are model systems in studies of plant reproduction, chromosome evolution and sexual dimorphism, but sexing of plants based on morphology is only possible from flowering stage onwards. Both species show homogametic females (XX) and heterogametic males (XY).•Here we developed two assays (primer pairs and ) for molecular sexing of and , targeting length polymorphisms between the X and Y-linked copies of the spermidine synthase gene.The two assays were successful in identifying known (flowering-stage) males and females from UK and Spanish populations, with an error rate of 3.1% (; successful for both species) and 0% (, only successful for ). Our assays therefore represent novel tools for rapid, robust and simple determination of the genotypic sex of and .

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