A Study of Genetic Variation and Relationships within the Bamboo Subtribe Bambusinae using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism

Taxonomic and systematic studies of the woody bamboos are traditionally based on floral morphology, which can cause problems in identification due to the lack of, or infrequent, flowering. Limited studies have been conducted using molecular techniques to overcome this problem. In this study, we used amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) to conduct a study of four genera of bamboos ( Bambusa , Dendrocalamus , Gigantochloa and Thyrsostachys ) in the subtribe Bambusinae. AFLP analysis using eight primer combinations was carried out on 15 species of bamboo. Results showed that AFLPs distinguish the different species by their unique banding patterns. Unique AFLPs were detected in 13 of the 15 species examined. The six Bambusa species examined separated into two clusters. The six Gigantochloa species studied formed a discrete cluster diverging from one of the Bambusa clusters, while Thyrsostachys was less similar to the Bambusa clusters. The similarity index between B. lako and G. atroviolacea was the highest, suggesting that B. lako is more appropriately included within the genus Gigantochloa rather than the genus Bambusa . The two Dendrocalamus species examined were very different with D. brandisii clustering within one of the Bambusa clusters and D. giganteus appearing as a very distant species. These results support the contention that critical study of the genus Dendrocalamus is required. The use of AFLPs for identification of particular bamboo species, as well as for the study of relationships within the subtribe, will be useful for industrial purposes and for systematic studies.