MAXIMUM PARSIMONY ACCURATELY RECONSTRUCTS RELATIONSHIPS OF ELITE SORGHUM LINES

Parsimony analyses have been shown to be effective for estimating the branching sequences of evolution. Because pedigree estimation is equiv alent to phylogeny estimation, our objective was to examine the useful ness of maximum parsimony in estimating relationships based on restric tion fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP). Eighteen sorghum [Sorghum b icolor (L.) Moench] lines, with known relationships were used in this study. Sorghum DNA was cut with various restriction enzymes and hybrid ized with 76 maize RFLP probes. The RFLP data were scored with a binar y and multi-state coding system. In the binary coding system, each pol ymorphic band was a separate character. In the multi-state coding syst em, each probe-enzyme combination was a separate character. Binary cha racters were analyzed with Wagner, unrooted Dollo, and threshold (T = 2, = 3, = 4) methods and multi-state characters were treated as unorde red. Wagner and threshold (T = 4) models gave the highest degree of re solution. Parsimony analyses are effective tools for estimating plant breeding pedigrees and provide breeders with new tools for the analysi s for germplasm variation, investigations of line origin, and determin ation of relationships in complex phylogenies of pedigrees.