Evaluation of Hemerocallis germplasm using single nucleotide polymorphisms of nrITS and chloroplast interspacer region.

This study was initiated to distinguish nocturnal (night) flowering Hemerocallis species from day flowering species based on the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of nuclear internal transcribed spacers 1, 2 in a ribosomal RNA gene (nrITS) and a chloroplast interspacer region (cpIS). Four nocturnal flowering species, H. citrina, H. thunbergii, H. minor, and H. lilioasphodelus were collected including Korea, and compared with day flowering species that included H. vespertina and H. hongdoensis. Based on the haplotypes of nrITS and cpIS, nocturnal species cannot be distinguished from day flowering species. Discrepancies in flowering time and haplotypes among H. minor accessions suggest that more germplasm with diverse geographic origins should be evaluated and identification of other genes is required to effectively distinguish nocturnal species from day flowering species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]