Genetic variation of wild ginseng populations (RAPD analysis)

Genetic variation of wild Panax ginseng populations from the Russian Far Ea st was analyzed with RAPD-PCR. Amplification was efficient with 84 out of 1 20 tested primers. Comparison of 37 individual RAPD patterns amplified with seven arbitrarily chosen primers allowed analysis of 74 loci, one of which was detected in two plants from the Chuguevka population and assumed to be polymorphic. Several fragments showed markedly higher amplification in the patterns of eight plants from the Spassk and Chuguevka populations. No pop ulation-specific markers were revealed. The genetic structure of wild P. gi nseng populations from the Russian Far East was assumed to be highly conser ved.