Assessment of the legitimacy of cocoa tree hybrids (Theobroma cacao L.) resulting from simple crosses using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in Côte d’Ivoire

• Published in: Genetic resources and crop evolution Vol. 72; no. 2; pp. 2103 - 2113
• Main Authors: Minakou, Okayo Sandrine, Guiraud, Honorine Brigitte, Trébissou, Inago Caudou, Coulibaly, Klotioloma, Kouamé, Tchréwa Stanislas, Atchi, Mathurin Yves, Gouré, Bi Firmin, Assi, Attiapo Pepin, Ouattara, Yaya, Bakayoko, Sidiky, Tahi, Gnion Mathias
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.02.2025; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cote d'Ivoire; Differentiation; Genetic analysis; Genetic crosses; Genetic distance; genetic variation; Hybrids; Legitimacy; Life Sciences; loci; Nucleotides; Offspring; Parents & parenting; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Physiology; Plant reproduction; Plant Sciences; Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Pollination; Polymorphism; progeny; Research Article; Single-nucleotide polymorphism; Theobroma cacao; variance; Cote d'Ivoire; Legitimacy; SNP; L. pollination; Côte d’Ivoire
• ISSN: 0925-9864; 1573-5109
• DOI: 10.1007/s10722-024-02084-2

The legitimacy of 13 hybrid families resulting from crosses via manual pollination techniques was studied using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The aim of this study was to ensure the conformity of offspring resulting from simple crosses. Fifty-one individuals (39 descendants and 12 parent clones) were analysed using 84 SNP markers. The results revealed nonsignificant genetic differentiation between parents and progenies ( P  = 0.323). High allelic richness was also revealed, with the average number of alleles per locus ranging from 1.57 to 1.92, with an average of 1.77 in offspring and 2 in parents. Thus, 1% of the total variance was attributed to interpopulation variance, and 99% was attributed to intrapopulation variance. Low genetic differentiation (FST < 0.05) and genetic distances (0.03 < D < 0.09) were observed between hybrid families F2, F8, F10, F11, F12, F13 and F14 and their respective parents. These results confirm the legitimacy of the hybrids produced and suggest that the manual pollination work carried out at CNRA sites is reliable for faithfully reproducing hybrid material using known parents.