Advances in molecular marker techniques for use in sugarcane

Microsatellite (SSR) markers are now established as useful markers in sugarcane. The International Sugarcane Microsatellite Consortium funded by the International Consortium for Sugarcane Biotechnology (ICSB) has developed and tested more than 250 sugarcane microsatellites. These SSR markers are being applied in fingerprinting sugarcane lines, testing hybrid identity in breeding and in populating sugarcane genome maps. The SSR analysis is complicated by the nature of the sugarcane genome but this has not prevented successful application of this technology. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are increasingly being used as genetic markers in animals and plants. SNP markers have significant advantages over SSR markers. The potential for their application in sugarcane as a technique complementary to SSR analysis will be discussed.