RFLP analysis allows for the identification of alfalfa ecotypes

Three seed lots, obtained from different 'foundation farms', for each of th e alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., ecotypes 'Vogherese' and 'Maremmana', togeth er with the variety 'Iside' as a control, were studied to test the possibil ity of distinguishing them through restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Twenty plants per seed lot were analysed with 25 DNA probes that yielded 155 informative polymorphic fragments. Variance partitioning showe d that within-population Variability accounted for nearly 98% of the total variance, while a small but significant contribution to the total Variance was due to among-lot variability. 'Vogherese' was more homogeneous than 'Ma remmana', as a consequence of the greater environmental homogeneity of the adaptation area of the former ecotype compared with the latter. Bulk analys is yielded eight variety-specific bands, 12 bands present in both ecotypes and absent in the variety and one band specific of 'Maremmana'. Results are discussed in relation to the practical use of molecular markers for alfalf a ecotype identification.