Leaf esterase patterns of natural populations of diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid Avena species were separated by disc electrophoresis. The zymotypes of the A genome diploids A. hirtula, A. strigosa and A. longiglumis differed from the C genome diploids A. pilosa and A. ventricosa. The tetraploids A. barbata, A. magna and A. murphyi had distinctive zymotypes. The A. barbata zymotype resembled the A genome diploids which supports the cytological evidence for homoeology between the genomes. Avena magna and A. murphyi were a combination of the A and C diploid patterns with A. murphyi resembling the C more than the A pattern. The zymotypes of the hexaploids A. sterilis and A. sativa revealed the expected A, C and AC genome ancestry. Band affinity ratings within and between genomic groups agreed with the cytological evidence and cross-compatible relationships, the exception being the C — AC species that have high affinity ratings but are apparently cross-incompatible.
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