Reliable identification of grapevine rootstock varieties using RAPD PCR on woody samples

Since grapevine ( Vitis spp .) rootstock material is being traded increasingly as disbudded woody material a lack of distinctive morphological features on such material necessitates an alternative and reliable means of identification. Methods described here were developed for rapid and efficient extraction of DNA from woody samples rich in phenolic compounds and polysaccharides, and for subsequent identification of varieties by RAPD PCR. Using these methods, and with the application of only one selected RAPD primer, we were able to differentiate sixteen rootstock varieties, including the seven varieties most commonly used in Germany. Problems commonly encountered with reproducibility of RAPD patterns were avoided by choosing primers with a dinucleotide sequence and a high G/C content that allowed a rather high annealing temperature of 45°C. Methods described here should also be useful for other horticultural crops, especially those with woody tissues rich in phenolic compounds and polysaccharides.