Abstract
The potential use of RAPD markers for taxonomic studies in Malus was investigated using sets of genotypes consisting of wild species and apple cultivars. DNA-’fingerprints’ generated with preselected random primers were analysed for polymorphic amplification fragments, and coefficients estimating genetic similarity were calculated on the basis of about 50 polymorphic RAPD loci in each set of genotypes. Cluster analysis by an unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA) revealed that, in cultivars, the molecular classification was in good agreement with the known lineage. A dendrogram generated for wild species gave relationships that were, in principle, in accordance with the known phylogenetic information. Closely related species from section I were clearly distinguishable from those of sections III and IV. A high degree of genetic diversity was found on the molecular level among both different apple cultivars and wild species of the genus Malus. The results gave additional evidence for the hypothesis, that M. pumila and M. sylvestris were involved in the origin of the cultivated apples.
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