RAPD analysis of the relationship of North and South American subspecies of Fragaria chiloensis

To improve the intraspecific classification of Fragaria chiloensis (L.) Duc hesne, 35 plants including 5 North American ssp. lucida, 15 North American ssp. pacifica, and 15 South American ssp. chiloensis were analysed using ra ndom amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPDs). From 100 primers screened, 12 were selected providing 62 scorable polymorphic bands. The phenogram (cophenetic correlation, r = 0.99) based on UPGMA clustering of Jaccard's coefficients revealed a clear division between North American and South American plants , but only partial separation was shown between the two North American subs pecies. This is the first comprehensive molecular evidence for major geneti c divergence between the North American and South American subspecies of F: chiloensis and suggests greater genetic variation within the Canadian mate rial of the North American ssp. pacifica than within the South American ssp , chiloensis. These findings strongly support protection and utilization of wild Canadian Fragaria germplasm for crop improvement.