Genetic relationships among accessions of mandacaru (Cereus spp.: Cactaceae) using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP)

Abstract

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was used to evaluate the genetic diversity at the DNA level of mandacaru (genus Cereus ) and to differentiate between 17 accessions grown in different regions of Brazil. The six primer pairs used amplified 348 AFLP markers, of which 282 (81%) were polymorphic. The percentage of polymorphic fragments ranged from 62.5% for the primer combination E-AAC × M-CAG to 91.7% for E-ACT × M-CAC. The largest number of informative markers (67) was detected using the primer combination E-ACA × M-CAG, while the E-AGC × M-CTC combination revealed the lowest number of polymorphic fragments (46) in the mandacaru plantlets. The Nei's identity value between the accessions of mandacaru was 0.6348–0.8343 for plants from the Southern and Northeastern regions, 0.6348–0.6529 between accessions from the Southwestern and Northeastern regions, and 0.6193–0.6944 between accessions from the Southern and Southwestern regions. The similarity among the Southern, Northeastern, and Southwestern regions indicates that the plants of the three regions may be different species of the Cereus genus: Cereus peruvianus or Cereus repandus (Southern region), Cereus jamacaru (Northeastern region), and Cereus hildmaniannus (Southwestern region). Alternatively, the accessions may belong to one species in the process of speciation. ► Molecular markers in cactus. ► AFLP for an adequate classification of the Cereus genus. ► Genetic diversity in plants of the Cereus genus. ► AFLP for differentiation of plants showing similar morphological characteristics. ► AFLP analysis for differentiate mandacaru plants grown in different regions of Brazil.