A quick method for the isolation of plant DNA suitable for RAPD analysis.

A simple method to isolate genomic DNA suitable for RAPD analysis from a large number of samples is described. The average DNA concentration of 360 preparations from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants belonging to six ecotypes, as measured by optical density at 260 nm, was 736 ng/micronl, and the purity, as measured by the ratio between the optical densities at 260 and 280 nm, was 2.08. The corresponding figures for 216 preparations of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) plants belonging to nine progenies were 270 ng/micronl and 1.89. The assay by agarose gel electrophoresis of genomic and restricted DNA samples revealed a good DNA quality. Amplification tests showed reproducible and comparable RAPD profiles over the range of concentrations obtained by the protocol presented. Our results indicate that the optical DNA quantification can be reduced to a single measurement on a polled sample of aliquots from a random subset of preparations.