Molecular characterization of Mauritanian date palm cultivars using plasmid-like DNAs markers

Mauritanian date palm cultivars and progenies of two controlled crosses were analyzed according to the identity of mitochondrial plasmid-like DNAs. Starting from total genomic DNA and appropriate primers, polymerase chain reaction was designed to amplify either a 373-bp or a 265-bp fragments corresponding to the S and the R-plasmid respectively. Data proved that 5 cultivars out of 10 studied have exhibited the R-plasmid suggesting their resistance to the fusariosis. The existence of intra-cultivar variability has also been revealed in the cv. Ahmar. In addition, analysis throughout progenies of two controlled crosses suggested the strict maternal transmission of the date palms' mitochondrial genome.