Genetic diversity and relationship among peach cultivars based on Random Amplified Microsatellite Polymorphism (RAMP)

Peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) is a common fruit tree species, mainly i n the temperate region. It is an important economic plant in Taiwan. In the present study, the genetic relationships among 26 cultivars of common peac h (P. persica var. vulgaris Maxim.), 12 cultivars of nectarine (P. persica var. nectarina Maxim.), and three cultivars of flat peach (P. persica var. platycarpa Bailey) were estimated using RAMP markers. Eighty-two polymorphi c bands were obtained using ten combinations of primers. The cluster analys is based on RAMP data revealed that the groupings were generally consistent with the classification of the varieties and the regions of origin of cult ivars. The common peach cultivars originating in China and Japan formed a c luster. A possible explanation is that the Japanese cultivars may be develo ped from cultivars introduced from China. Within flat peach cultivars, the groupings also indicated that the genetic relationship among cultivars is c orrelated with the regions of origin of cultivars. Analysis of molecular va riance (AMOVA) revealed that the variance components among and within three peach groups expressed as percentages of the total variation were 30.3% an d 69.7%, respectively.