Evaluation of Lotus corniculatus L. accessions from different locations at different altitudes reveals phenotypic and genetic diversity.

The phenotypic and genotypic diversity of natural populations of Lotus corniculatus from three locations in northern Greece was investigated. The collection locations were about 100-140 km apart at altitudes ranging from 50 to 900 m and therefore differed in bioclimatic conditions. The collected plants were transplanted and maintained under the same conditions before their phenotypic and genetic assessment. Plants from high altitudes differed from the low- or moderate-altitude plants in terms of leaf characteristics (smaller leaf area: 1.1 cm2 compared to 1.5 cm2 from the low and moderate altitudes) and internode length (shorter internodes: 2.7 cm compared to 3.2 and 13.1 cm from the low and moderate altitudes respectively). At the genetic level, application of the Inter-Specific Simple Sequence Repeats ( ISSR) molecular markers led to distinct placement of the three populations into different clades of a dendrogram, thus revealing regional diversity. The phytogeographic distinction was also supported by principal components analysis. The results showed that even though phenotypic characters could be close, or even indistinguishable, as in the case of plants from the low and middle altitudes, the genetic background could be different. Therefore, assessment of the natural diversity of L. corniculatus requires a combined and integrative approach involving morphological description and molecular characterization. The natural populations of L. corniculatus constitute valuable germplasm for the development of improved and adapted cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]