Interspecific relationships of Korean Viola based on RAPD, ISSR and PCR-RFLP analyses

Abstract

Molecular taxonomic studies were conducted to evaluate interspecific relationships in Korean Viola 34 taxa including two Japanese populations using RAPD(randornly amplified polymorphic DNA), ISSR(inter simple sequence repeat) and PCR-RFLP(restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis. Only six and four primers out of 40 arbitrary and 12 ISSR primers were screened for 34 taxa, and were revealed 70 (98.6%) and 28 (96.6%) polymorphic bands, respectively. Fifteen restriction endonucleases produced 80 restriction sites and size variations from the large single copy region of cpDNA, 16 (20%) of which were polymorphic. The separate analyses from the RAPD, ISSR and PCR-RFLP data were incongruent in the relationships among 34 taxa, but combined data was in accordance with previous infrageneric classification system based on morphological characters, especially the subsection and series level. Section Chamaemelanium placed between subsect. Patellares and Vagimtae of section Nomimium was not formed as a distinct group. Viola alb ida complex including three very closely related taxa was recognized independent group within subsect. Patellares in combined data tree. This result strongly suggested that they should be treated to series Pinmtae. RAPD analysis was very useful to clarify the interspecific relationships among the species of Korean Viola than ISSH and PCR-RFLP analyses.