Analysis of AFLP markers associated to the Mex-1 resistance locus in Icatu progenies

Abstract

The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne exigua is a parasite which attacks the Arabica coffee tree (Coffea sp.) and its eradication from infested areas is practically impossible. The wide dissemination of this nematode across coffee plantations in the south of the state of Minas Gerais has been causing great damage to the coffee producers of the area. Previous studies showed that the simple inheritance gene present in C. canephora, designated Mex-1, controls M. exigua resistance. Some genetic breeding programs have developed resistant Arabica coffee lines through the introgression of this gene. To confirm the introgression, twenty-one Icatu lines were analyzed and compared to two resistant (“Iapar 59” and “Híbrido de Timor”) and one susceptible cultivar (Catuaí). Among the AFLP markers used, five confirmed the presence of the introgressed fragment associated to Mex-1 resistance, showing that this marker can be used in marker-assisted selection.