Researchers have developed a new technology that can identify
tangerine species through DNA analysis. The new technology is expected
to help discern tangerine breeds and solve intellectual property
rights-related conflicts over seeds.
The technology, which was developed by the Korea Seed and Variety
Service (KSVS), allows for the accurate identification of tangerine
breeds through DNA analysis of a small amount of tissue from the leaves,
and it only takes four weeks to obtain the result. In the past, it took
a long time to identify tangerine species as they had to wait until the
tangerine trees grew and produced fruit after the seeds were planted.
Most types of tangerine grown in Korea are imported, but with the rise
of issues surrounding royalties and intellectual property rights, it has
become very important to identify different breeds. Among all other
types of fruit, in January 2012, tangerines were the last to be
registered for breed protection. Now, eleven types of tangerine are
registered and protected and 182 breeds are being produced or imported.
A flow chart shows how to make a fruit DNA profile database, by the
Korea Seed and Variety Service. (image courtesy of the KSVS)
The KSVS started identifying tangerine breeds in 2013 and developed the
technology to distinguish 73 breeds with 22 DNA markers by using simple
sequence repeats (SSRs) of DNA length polymorphisms. They also
established a DNA profile database for 113 tangerine breeds.
The KSVS filed patent applications for the technology, describing it as
tangerine breed identification technology using SSR markers. It is
currently under review.
SSRs are a group of repetitive DNA sequences that represent a
significant portion of higher eukaryote genomes. SSR DNA length
polymorphisms can compare differences in the repeats of SSRs in
different breeds and analyze the size of the DNA fragments with special
entity characteristics.
The Korea Seed and Variety Service developed a technology to identify
tangerine breeds through DNA analysis of a small amount leaf. (photo:
Yonhap News)
"Using tangerine breed identification through DNA analysis, we intend to
select opposing breeds of tangerines for whom breed protection
applications are filed and try to solve 'breed infringements' and
seed-related conflicts," said a KSVS official.
By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
jun2@korea.kr