Determination of Genetic Distances in Homokaryotic Isolates to Use in Production of Hybrid Strains of Button Mushroom

Lack of heterogenesity in commercial populations of common button mushroom Agaricus bisporus، hinders the analysis of breeding systems in this valuable species. With the aim of producing a heterogenous segregating population which can be used in breeding programs، slow growing isolates were derived from 10 commercial strains. Out of 377 slow growing isolates 22 proved to be homokaryotic. Homokaryotic isolates were assessed for their similarity using nine RAPD primers. Similarity analysis revealed high polymorphism among homokaryons. Based on the similarity matrix isolates with the least similarity were crossed. Out of 92 crosses، seven proved to be compatible and resulted in stable heterokaryons. The seven hybrids were recognized as the segregating maternal population