In 1983, the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs) was uncovered by the use of restriction endonucleases which cleave DNA molecules at specific sites and cloned DNA probes which detect specific homologous DNA fragments.

RFLPs promise to be exceedingly numerous and are expected to have genetic characteristics — lack of dominance, multiple allelic forms and absence of pleiotropic effects on economic traits — of particular usefulness in breeding programs.