ISHS Acta Horticulturae 545: V International Protea Research Symposium
GENETIC DIVERSITY AND ITS RELATION TO HABITAT RANGE OF PROTEA CORONATA, P. HOLOSERICEA AND P. NERIIFOLIA AS DETERMINED BY RAPDS |
| Authors: | C.E. McGregor, M.M. Greyling, G.M. Littlejohn, A. Robyn |
| Keywords: | DNA fingerprinting, genetic diversity sampling, phylogeny |
| Abstract:
Sixty-nine endemic species of Protea are found in the Cape floral kingdom, one of the world’s six plant kingdoms. The different species vary significantly in their habitat range. Morphologically there seem to be some correlation between habitat range and genetic variability, with the species with the widest range, having the most variability. In order to determine whether this is indeed the case, three species representing different habitat ranges were selected for DNA studies. Two species with a wide habitat were selected. P. coronata (two populations sampled) was selected for fact that it has distinct populations compared to the other species with a wide habitat range, P. neriifolia (three populations sampled), that had a more continuous distribution. P. holosericea has a very restricted habitat, consisting of a single isolated population . The Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was chosen since no sequence information for the genus was available. Data from 10 primers was scored and analysis was carried out using the NTSYS and AMOVA computer packages. The genetic variability observed in Protea neriifolia, the species with a widest habitat range, was the largest both within and between populations sampled. The genetic variability of P. coronata was intermadiate, with greater variation between populations than within populations, while P. holosericea was least variable. The importance of this information in formulating sampling strategies for the different species is highlighted. | |
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