Fingerprinting for quality control in breeding and deployment.

The potential for pedigree errors during the numerous stages involved in tree breeding and deployment is large. Molecular fingerprinting has great potential for quality control, an example of this application is presented here. During the grafting stage of a Eucalyptus nitens breeding program the labels identifying 37 different ramets were mistakenly removed. The aim of this project was to use molecular markers to fingerprint genotypes to correct this mistake. Based on RAPD fingerprinting data, most ramets (34 out of 37) were successfully assigned to an ortet (scion source for grafting). Three of the ramets could not be assigned to an ortet. These probably represent errors during the collection of scion material or samples for DNA analysis or maybe during the grafting operations. Fingerprinting technology is now well established and should be used by tree breeding organisations and companies deploying improved trees in their plantations for quality control.