CHARACTERIZATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF LACTUCA-SATIVA CULTIVARS AND WILD RELATIVES WITH SDS-ELECTROPHORESIS (LACTUCA SECT LACTUCA, COMPOSITAE)

Patterns of achene proteins of L. sativa cultivars are mutually compar ed and compared with L. saligna, L. serriola and L. virosa. L. virosa and L. saligna are easy to identify and are characterized by typical b anding patterns. L. sativa and L. serriola share the same banding patt ern. They differ clearly from L. saligna and L. virosa. L. sativa and L. serriola are closely related (in terms of similarity), they form a common genepool and L. serriola is involved in the domestication proce ss of L. sativa. Cultivar identification was not possible with the SDS -PAGE method.