Open AccessDiscrimination and Genetic Diversity of Cephalotaxus Accessions Using AFLP Markers
Author(s) -
Donglin Zhang,
Michael A. Dirr,
Robert A. Price
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of the american society for horticultural science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.408
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 2327-9788
pISSN - 0003-1062
DOI - 10.21273/jashs.125.4.404
Subject(s) - amplified fragment length polymorphism , biology , botany , cultivar , genetic diversity , hybrid , taxon , horticulture , population , demography , sociology
Cephalotaxus Sieb. and Zucc. (plum yew) species and cultivars have become popular because of their sun and shade tolerance, resistance to deer browsing, disease and insect tolerance, and cold and heat adaptability. Unfortunately, the nomenclature and classification in the literature and nursery trade are confusing due to their extreme similarity in morphology. In this study, amplified fragment-length polymorphism (AFLP) markers were used to discriminate taxa and evaluate genetic differences among 90 Cephalotaxus accessions. A total of 403 useful markers between 75 and 500 base pairs (bps) was generated from three primer-pair combinations. Cluster analysis showed that the 90 accessions can be classified as four species, C. oliveri Mast., C. fortunei Hooker, C. harringtonia (Forbes) Koch., and C. × sinensis (a hybrid species); four varieties, C. fortunei var. alpina Li, C. harringtonia var. koreana (Nakai) Rehd., C. harringtonia var. nana (Nakai) Hornibr., and C. harringtonia var. wilsoniana (Hayata) Kitamura; and eight cultivars. Suggested names are provided for mislabeled or misidentified taxa. The Cephalotaxus AFLP data serve as a guide to researchers and growers for identification and genetic differences of a taxon, and a model to establish a cultivar library against which later introductions or problematic collections can be cross-referenced.