CHLOROPLAST DNA DIVERSITY IN BRINJAL EGGPLANT (SOLANUM-MELONGENA L.) AND RELATED SPECIES

Chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) samples of brinjal eggplant (S. melongena) and representative related species including S. incanum sensu lato (or S. campylacanthum sensu stricto), S. lichtensteinii, S. marginatum, S. m acrocarpon, S. anguivi and S. aethiopicum and also S. nigrum as an out group taxon, were digested by 14 restriction enzymes and analyzed by u sing electrophoresis and a cpDNA probe. All the species used here were clearly separated in the cpDNA analysis, except the pair S. anguivi a nd S. aethiopicum. From the dendrogram constructed by the unweighted p air-group method, it is suggested that S. incanum is the closest to S. melongena and the next closest species is S. macrocarpon followed by S. aethiopicum (and S. anguivi), S. lichtensteinii, S. marginatum and finally the outgroup taxon S. nigrum. The tree derived by the neighbou r-joining method suggests phyletic relationships that agree with those indicated by crossability and seed coat anatomy, but conflict with co nventional classifications based on morphology. In particular, members of sections Oliganthes and Melongena are not separated and no cpDNA v ariation was found within either of the morphologically diverse cultig ens, S. aethiopicum and S. melongena. Paradoxically, the morphological ly similar species S. incanum, S. lichtensteinii and S. marginatum hav e diverged greatly in their cpDNA. The significance of these results i s discussed.