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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Nat'l Clonal Germplasm Rep - Tree Fruit & Nut Crops & Grapes » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #135315
Title: MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF VARIABILITY AND RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SEVEN CULTIVATED AND SELECTED WILD SPECIES OF PRUNUS L. USING AMPLIFIED FRAGMENT LENGTH POLYMORPHISM

Author
item Aradhya, Mallikarjuna
item Weeks, Clayton
item Simon, Charles

Submitted to: Horticulture Scientia
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/4/2004
Publication Date: 7/29/2004
Citation: Aradhya, M.K., Weeks, C.F., Simon, C.J. 2004. Molecular characterization of variability and relationships among seven cultivated and selected wild species of prunus l. using amplified fragment length polymorphism. Scientia Horticulturae 103:131-144.

Interpretive Summary: Seven cultivated Prunus species comprising three subgenera Amygdalus, Prunus, and Cerasus were analyzed for genetic differentiation using amplified fragment length polymorphism. Analysis of multivariate relationships revealed three major affinities corresponding to the three subgenera analyzed. The diplold plum (P.salicina) and tetraploid plum (P.domestica), representing the section Prunus, have differentiated from apricots (P.armeniaca)) belonging to the section Armeniaca within the subgenus Prunus. The two Amygdalus species, peach (P.persica) and almond (P.dulcis) showed marginal differentation, while the sweet cherry (P.avium) and tart cherry (P. cerasus) within the subgennus Cerasus formed a close cluster. Although traditionally the subgenera, Amygdalus and Prunus were considered to be a single gene pool, the level and pattern of genetic differentiation among the seven cultivated Prunus species call for species-wise gene pool enrichment and conservation.

Technical Abstract: Genetic differentiation among seven cultivated Prunus species was assessed using amplified fragment length polymorphism. The two multivariate approaches, the Neghbor-joining cluster analysis and the principal component analysis, used to elucidate the genetic relationships among the taxa revealed three well-supported groups corresponding to the three subgenera Amygdalus, Prunus, and Cerasus included in the study. Within the genus Prunus, apricots (P.armeniaca, section, Armeniaca and plums (diploid P. salicina and tetraploid P. domestica, section Prunus) showed moderate differentiation. Despite different ploidy levels, there was high degree of molecular similarity between hexaploid and diploid plums. Almonds (P. dulcis) and peaches (P. persica) exhibted narrow differentiation; while the two cherries, the diploid sweet cherry (P. avium) and the tetraploid tart cherry (P. cerasus) formed a homogenous group. The subgenus Cerasus has considerably diverged from the remaining two subgenera included in the study. The inter- and intra-subgeneric differntiation in the genus Prunus warrants enrichment and conservation of species-wise gene pools in genus Prunus.