DNA extraction from roots of xonostle

High contents of polysaccharides present in cactus of the genus Opuntia make it difficult to obtain optimal quality DNA for genotyping analysis. In this work, DNA was extracted from the young roots of xoconostle (Opuntia matudae Scheinvar). The quality of the DNA was assessed by random amplification with PCR using RAPD. The extraction method will help to solve technical problems that are commonly reported by different researchers for this group of plants, and it will lead to more efficient handling of samples for DNA analysis. The use of small samples of young roots as an alternative to cladodes, which are normally used for genetic or genomic analysis, was appropriate because high concentrations of DNA with optimum quality were obtained, and this DNA contained low concentrations of the polysaccharides characteristic of this group of cacti. The amplified fragments obtained from the different plants were clear and reproducible.