Abstract
Endive (Cichorium endivia L.) and chicory (C. intybus L.) both have 2n = 18, but until now, there has been no detailed karyomorphological characterization. The present work evaluated five accessions of each species using FISH with rDNA probes and fluorochrome staining with CMA and DAPI. Both species presented distinct banding patterns after fluorochrome staining: while endive had proximal CMA++/DAPI− bands in the short arms of pairs 1, 2 and 3, chicory had proximal CMA-positive bands in chromosomes 1 and 3 and interstitial in the short arm of chromosome 8. Among endive accessions, FISH procedures revealed conserved position and number of 5S and 45S rDNA sites (two and three pairs, respectively), associated with the CMA-positive bands. Notwithstanding, polymorphisms were detected within chicory accessions regarding the number and the distribution of rDNA sites in relation to the most frequent karyotype (two pairs with 45S and one with 5S rDNA). The karyological markers developed allowed karyotypic differentiation between both species, uncovering peculiarities in the number and position of rDNA sites, which suggest chromosome rearrangements, such as translocations in chicory cultivars. The interspecific and intraspecific polymorphisms observed emphasize the potential of karyomorphological evaluations, helping our understanding of the relationships and evolution of the group.
Highlights
The Cichorieae tribe comprises about 70 genera and 1,500 species
Controversies regarding the taxonomy of Cichorium have been raised since the 18th century, especially regard
Approaches based on AFLP markers (Kiers et al, 2000) and ITS sequences (Kilian and Gemeinholzer, 2007) recognized six species subdivided into three distinct groups: (1) C. bottae A
Summary
The Cichorieae tribe (subfamily Cichorioideae, family Asteraceae) comprises about 70 genera and 1,500 species. Among the economically most important members of the tribe, lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) and endive (C. endivia L.) stand out due to their worldwide use as green salad vegetables (Bremer, 1994; Kilian et al, 2009). While being less used than lettuce, the economic importance of chicory and endive is increasing, with growing incorporation in cooking recipes due to their nutritional value (Lucchin et al, 2008), which impacts the size and distribution of the areas cultivated worldwide. Approaches based on AFLP markers (Kiers et al, 2000) and ITS sequences (Kilian and Gemeinholzer, 2007) recognized six species subdivided into three distinct groups: (1) C. bottae A.
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