RELATIONSHIPS OF WILD BRASSICA SPECIES WITH CHROMOSOME-NUMBER 2N=18, BASED ON RFLP STUDIES

An array of 10 wild Brassica species with chromosome number 2n = 18 re presented by 34-populations was analyzed For genome similarity using g enomic and cDNA clones. Species studied included B. bourgeaui (Webb) O . Kuntze, B. cretica Lam., B. hilarionis G.E. Post, B. incana Ten., B. insularis Moris, B. macrocarpa (Guss.) Caruel, B, montana Pourret, B. oleracea L., B, rupestris Rafin., and B, villosa Biv. The RFLP data w ere used to calculate similarities between populations that were subse quently treated in a cluster analysis. Most populations of a species w ere grouped together and were separate from populations of other speci es. The previously identified B. incana - B. rupestris - B. villosa co mplex was verified, and genetic similarity between the species B, mont ana and B. oleracea was evident. An interesting association between B. insularis and B. macrocarpa was observed, The UPGMA analysis showed t hat the species tended to cluster according to geographic region: B. c retica and B. hilarionis comprise a cluster that could be called Easte rn Mediterranean; B. oleracea, B, bourgeaui, and B, montana define an Atlantic - Western Mediterranean cluster; B. incana, B. rupestris, and B. villosa form an Italian group; and a B. insularis - B. macrocarpa association may be called Central Mediterranean.