Vol. 81 No: 4

Title:
Genetic variation of commercial Anemone coronaria cultivars assessed by AFLP

Authors:
M. LAURA, A. ALLAVENA, F. MAGURNO, S. LANTERI and E. PORTIS

pp: 621-626

Abstract:
Anemone coronaria is an out-crossing species grown widely as an ornamental. The genetic divergence between and within five widely commercialised cultivars (´Cristrina`, ´Monalisa`, ´Tetraelite`, ´Wicabri` and ´Mistral`) has been evaluated using AFLP markers.Within each cultivar three-to-eight sub-cultivars, which differ mainly in the colour of their flowers, were assayed. Four plants within each sub-cultivar were genotyped. Due to the large size of the A. coronaria genome, an AFLP protocol based on restriction with Sbf I (an 8 bp cutter) and Mse I (a 4 bp cutter) was developed. Clear and reproducible electrophoretic patterns displaying 56 - 79 bands (average 67) per primer combination were obtained by applying five (Sbf I+2 / Mse I+3) selective nucleotides. A total of 402 bands were observed, of which 152 were polymorphic. Genetic similarities between accessions were calculated according to the Simple Matching Coefficient and used to construct a dendrogram based on the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages (UPGMA). The dendrogram resolved the entries into three major branches: A, which included sub-cultivars of ´Cristina`; B, which included two clusters grouping the sub-cultivars of ´Monalisa` and ´Mistral`; and C which included two clusters grouping the sub-cultivars of ´Tetraelite` and ´Wicabri`. The genetic relationships that emerged from our results are consistent with the known origins of these A. coronaria accessions. The majority of plants within each sub-cultivar clustered with one another, but in some cases, no clear genetic differentiation between subcultivars was detectable. Due to the high level of within-sub-cultivar genetic variation detected, future breeding strategies should be based on stabilising cultivars for agronomic and commercial characters, while simultaneously maintaining a high level of heterozygosity, in order to avoid inbreeding depression.

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