INTRASPECIFIC STRUCTURAL VARIABILITY OF T HE RIBOSOMAL GENE-CLUSTER IN PISUM-SATIVUM L

The intraspecific diversity of ribosomal DNA in Pisum sativum L. was d etermined; the restriction endonucleases detecting structural polymorp hism were selected. In 21 cultivars, the restriction fragment length p olymorphism (RFLP) of the ribosomal gene cluster was studied, which al lowed us to classify the assayed cultivars into groups with similar re striction fragment patterns. Lack of intraspecific variability of the trait under study was shown. It was demonstrated that the cloned highl y conserved regions of ribosomal DNA of Tetrahymena pyriformis may be used as probes for analysis of ribosomal genes in crop plants, particu larly in garden pea.