DIVERSITY OF SEED ALBUMINS IN THE GRASSPEA (LATHYRUS-SATIVUS L) - AN ELECTROPHORETIC STUDY

Electrophoretic analysis of seed albumins covered 105 Lathyrus sativus accessions originating from different geographical regions. Four majo r albumin bands were responsible for the detected variation. Due to di fferences in the number and combination of these bands, eleven electro phoretic seed albumin patterns were distinguished; four of them were r are phenotypes found in less than 1% of the 817 examined individuals. Electrophoretic data were subjected to statistical analysis using hier archical UPGMA grouping and biplot techniques. Generally, no correlati on was found between occurrence of either the seed albumin patterns or the major albumin bands and geographical origin of the forms under st udy. On the other hand, data concerning frequency distribution of the major albumin bands tended to separate two groups of accessions, white -seeded with large seeds and coloured seeded with relatively small see ds; coloured-seeded accessions with rather large seeds mixed with the above groups.