Evaluation of genetic variation in Lachenalia bulbifera (Hyacinthaceae) using RAPDs

RAPD (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA) analyses were carried out on 21 a ccessions of Lachenalia bulbifera (Cyrillo) Engl. Five pre-selected primers produced an average of 88% polymorphisms. Fifteen of the 21 accessions cou ld be identified using the five primers. In a pairwise comparison genetic d istance values ranging from 0.11 to 1.08 were obtained. These values reveal a high amount of variation within the species. The genetic distance values within the tetraploid and hexaploid groups on the south coast were low, bu t values were high between the groups on the south coast and those on the w est coast. A dendogram was constructed from the RAPD banding profiles, usin g UPGM cluster analysis. The dendogram clusters certain accessions together . These clusters are supported by their geographical locality and chromosom e data. The hexaploid group, tetraploid group and octoploid group on the so uth coast are respectively clustered together. It is concluded that RAPDs c an be used to assess the genetic variation at an intra-specific level in La chenalia.