Characterization of blueberry genotypes using molecular markers

The blueberry crop planting area is increasing in Brazil, especially in Temperate Climate Zones, generating demands relating to suitable cultivars adapted to regional climate and soil conditions. This work aimed to characterize blueberry genotypes from Embrapa Clima Temperado breeding program, using RAPD and SSR molecular markers. There were characterized 40 blueberry genotypes using RAPD and 8 cultivars using SSR molecular markers. The 9 RAPD primers generated 89 markers. The genetic similarity ranged from 64 to 89%. Through the average similarity (66%), it was possible to identify four groups. The three pairs of SSR primers generated 11 markers. The genetic similarity among cultivars ranged from 25 to 75%. With a similarity average of 42,4%, it was generated three groups. It was possible to define the pattern of the eight blueberry cultivars using only three pairs of SST primers, which shows the efficiency of SST technique when characterizing blueberry genotypes. These results reveal that both RAPD and SSR are efficient to characterize genotypes of this specie. However, SSR markers are more accurate and, therefore, recommended for use in breeding programs and cultivars identification.