Identification of Peanut Hybrids Using Microsatellite Markers and Horizontal Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis

In peanut hybridization, distinguishing inadvertent selfs from the true hybrids may be difficult. In this study, to differentiate between selfs and hybrids, DNA was extracted from leaf tissue of F1 or F2 plants, and SSR markers were amplified and bands separated by a novel submarine horizontal polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (H-PAGE). By comparing the resulting banding patterns to those of the parents, 70% of the putative hybrids were shown to be true hybrids on the basis of possessing a marker allele from the male parent. The H-PAGE gels gave better band separation and differentiation of selfed progenies than agarose gels, and were compatible with the common horizontal agarose gel units. This method provides a quick assay to distinguish hybrids from inadvertent selfs, and should result in greater efficiency and more effective use of resources in peanut breeding programs.