Genetic diversity of Chilean and Brazilian Alstroemeria species assessed by AFLP analysis

One to three accessions of 22 Alstroemeria species, an interspecific hybrid (A. aurea x A. inodora), and single accessions of Bomarea salsilla and Leo ntochir ovallei were evaluated using the AFLP-marker technique to estimate the genetic diversity within the genus Alstroemeria. Three primer combinati ons generated 716 markers and discriminated all Alstroemeria species. The d endrogram inferred from the AFLP fingerprints supported the conjecture of t he generic separation of the Chilean and Brazilian Alstroemeria species. Th e principal co-ordinate plot showed the separate allocation of the A. ligtu group and the allocation of A. aurea, which has a wide range of geographic al distribution and genetic variation, in the middle of other Alstroemeria species. The genetic distances, based on AFLP markers, determined the genom ic contribution of the parents to the interspecific hybrid.