www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

Research on sericulture economics is getting momentum. In a multi-centric
project supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Centre for
Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) is working on molecular screening of
mulberry germplasm available in India. Besides, the institute is
constructing a molecular framework linkage map of mulberry and a prototype
database on mulberry genomics, December 2006 by B.V. Mahalakshmi.

The institute in association with the Central Sericulture Research and
Training Institute, Mysore, Central Sericulture Germplasm Resource Center,
Hosur and Karnataka State Sericulture Research and Development Institute, is
carrying out research on mulberry, the host plant for the silkworm. The
focus of molecular screening is to identify desirable resistance sources in
the plant and identify bioagents in the mulberry germplasm.

As per the status report, a core germplasm comprising 144 elite genotypes
was selected from among 2,000-odd available genotypes and a germplasm bank
has been established at the institute. It has collected leaf samples and
processed for isolation of high molecular weight for DNA typing analysis of
the core germplasm.

Meanwhile, efforts are also on to complement the conventional genetic
improvement programmes of mulberry with modern DNA tools. A molecular
linkage map has been constructed. With the available database, new mulberry
specific markers and the prototype database on mulberry genomics have been
upgraded. These microsatellites are claimed to be the first ever set of
markers for genetic studies on mulberry worldwide.

Lalji Singh, director, CCMB, said that microsatellites were considered as
the most desired DNA markers for genetic studies. Since they are limited in
their availability, there is a great need for such markers among plants and
animals. CCMB has developed the first ever markers for plants such as
mulberry, beetlevine and fauna such as panda and olive ridleys.

The markers are useful in germplasm characterisation and population studies
on these species.

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