DNA fingerprinting to identify nine Anthurium pot plant cultivars and examine their genetic relationship

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were utilized to determin e the genetic relationships of nine morphologically similar pot plant culti vars of Anthurium sp. by developing DNA fingerprints (DFP). Of 25 arbitrary primers screened, nine generated DFPs that were used in computing the gene tic distance (d) and similarity coefficient (C) values. All cultivars teste d exhibited a high degree of genetic similarity. 'Lady Ann' and 'Lady Beth' possessed the closest relationship with d and C values of 0.06 and 0.98, r espectively. The next closest genetic relationship was between 'Red Hot' an d 'Southern Blush' (d = 0.33, C = 0.89). These two cultivars exhibited a mo re distant relationship to the other seven cultivars as indicated by higher 'd' values. However, this study showed that the nine Anthurium cultivars e xamined were genetically closely related. These cultivars share specific DN A bands with three possible parental species (A. andraeanum Linden ex Andre , A. antioquens L., and A. amnicola Dressier) included in this study, which may indicate similarities in their pedigree. This study shows that RAPDs c an be a useful tool to distinguish Anthurium pot plant cultivars as well as identify their genetic relationships.