Application of a PCR-Based Cytoplasm Genotyping Method for Phylogenetic Analysis in Potato

We previously developed five polymerase chain reaction-based markers (T, S, SAC, D, and A) to distinguish potato cytoplasms into six types (M, P, A, W, T, and D). As the applicability of this genotyping method for phylogenetic studies had been questioned, we applied this method to species distantly related to cultivars (four accessions of two tomato species, and 176 accessions of 29 Solanum species). The T marker uncovered two insertions, which, along with a unique S marker band, supported independency of series Piurana. The A and D markers generated unique bands to A- and D-type cytoplasms, respectively, but the SAC marker generated a similar banding pattern to the cytoplasms of both cultivated and their distantly related species. Consequently, while the cytoplasm type definition is validated only among cultivated potatoes and their closely related wild species, the developed markers, with the exception of the SAC marker, could provide useful phylogenetic information.