Genetic diversity in Brassica oleracea L. (Cruciferae) and wild relatives (2n = 18) using RAPD markers

Abstract

This paper presents the evaluation of genetic diversity in 29 populations of wild taxa of the Brassica oleracea L. group (2n = 18) and two cultivars, using RAPDs as molecular markers. In a previous paper (Lazaro and Aguinagalde, Annals of Botany 82 000-00, 1998), 11 isozymes were used for the same purpose. Results obtained with the two molecular markers (isozymes and RAPDs) are compared. DNA from ten individuals per population was analysed using six different primers; the 151 detected bands were polymorphic, 11 were common to all species, six to all taxa, only one to every population; and no bands were shared by every individual. The dendrogram obtained using genetic distances clusters B. oleracea populations with B. bourgeaui, B. alboglabra, B. montana and B. incana. B. insularis, B. macrocarpa, B. villosa and B. rupestris populations form another cluster. Populations of B. cretica and B. hilarionis form the third cluster. Genetic diversity in B. oleracea populations, the B. rupestris complex and B. cretica subspecies was estimated using the AMOVA programme; the latter was the most diverse.