Ch. Chou et al., Genetic variability and phytogeography of Miscanthus sinensis var. condensatus, an apomictic grass, based on RAPD fingerprints, CAN J BOTAN, 78(10), 2000, pp. 1262-1268
Citations number
54
Categorie Soggetti
Plant Sciences
Journal title
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY-REVUE CANADIENNE DE BOTANIQUE
DNA fingerprinting using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers wa
s employed to investigate the genetic variation within and among population
s of Miscanthus Anderss. sinensis var. condensatus (Hack.) Makino, an apomi
ctic grass distributed along the coasts of Taiwan and Ryukyu Islands. A tot
al of 250 plants from three Taiwanese populations (Southeast Coast, Orchid
Islet, and Green Islet) and two populations from Ryukyu (Ishigaki and Amami
-O-Shima Islets) were sampled. The amplified products of 40 random primers
showed monomorphic banding patterns within all populations as well as among
the three populations from Taiwan. Low genetic variation (with only two po
lymorphic loci), but significant differentiation, was detected between popu
lations from Taiwan and Ryukyu (Phi (CT) = 0.864) and between populations (
Phi (ST) = 1.0) from Ishigaki and Amami-O-Shima Islets. In contrast, a high
level of variation was exhibited in the outcrossing Miscanthus sinensis va
r. glaber (Nakai) Li. In addition to apomictic reproduction, low genetic va
riation across populations of M. sinensis var. condensatus may be a result
of high salinity acting as a selective agent. With the cost of reduced gene
tic heterogeneity, apomixis may have provided a mechanism for avoiding the
transmission of endophytic fungi. The phytogeographic pattern of M. sinensi
s var. condensatus, as reflected by the RAPD data, likely represents isolat
ion between Taiwan and Ryukyu since the mid-Pleistocene.