Analysis of the extent of genetic variation within genetic resources is important for diversity preservation and also for breeders who exploit it. We investigated the recently introduced molecular marker technique of DNA diversity array technology (DArT), with the objective of characterising diversity in the likely relatively narrow genetic background of Czech malting barley cultivars.
Molecular marker technologies are undergoing a transition from largely serial assays measuring DNA fragment sizes to hybridization-based technologies with high multiplexing levels. Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) is a hybridization-based technology that is increasingly being adopted by barley researchers. There is a need to integrate the information generated by DArT with previous data produced with gel-based marker technologies.
