Molecular mapping of a dominant genic male sterility gene Ms in rapeseed (Brassica napus)

Abstract Rs1046AB is a genic male sterile two‐type line in rapeseed that has great potential for hybrid seed production. The sterility of this line is conditioned by the interaction of two genes, i.e. the dominant genic male sterility gene (Ms) and the suppressor gene ( Rf ). The present study was undertaken to identify DNA markers for the Ms locus in a BC 1 population developed from a cross between a male‐sterile plant in Rs1046AB and the fertile canola‐type cultivar ‘Samourai’. Bulked segregant analysis was performed using the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) methodology. From the survey of 480 AFLP primer combinations, five AFLP markers (P10M13 350 , P13M8 400 , P6M6 410 , E7M1 230 and E3M15 100 ) tightly linked to the target gene were identified. Two of them, E3M15 100 and P6M6 410 , located the closest, at either side of Ms at a distance of 3.7 and 5.9 cM, respectively. The Ms locus was subsequently mapped on linkage group LG10 in the map developed in this laboratory, adding two additional markers weakly linked to it. This suite of markers will be valuable in designing a marker‐assisted genic male sterility three‐line breeding programme.