INTERSPECIFIC RELATIONSHIP AND GENETIC DIVERSITY IN WILD BEETS IN SECTION COROLLINAE GENUS BETA - ISOZYME AND RAPD ANALYSES

Interspecific relationship among wild beets in section Corollinae was analyzed. Isozyme allele composition supports the concept of three bas ic species consisting of two diploid species, Beta lomatogona and Beta macrorhiza and the tetraploid species, Beta corolliflora. The polyplo id and apomictic species referred to as Beta trigyna and Beta intermed ia were found as hybrids. Based on isozyme and RAPD results, B. coroll iflora was also found more related to B. macrorhiza than to B. lomatog ona. From the phylogenetic trees constructed from isozyme data, B. cor olliflora and B. macrorhiza seem to be the end members of the evolutio nary line. Analysis of genetic diversity showed that B. corolliflora w as more polymorphic and heterozygous than B. lomatogona and B. macrorh iza. Differences between B. macrorhiza accessions from Turkey and Dage stan were found.