Genetic variation of commercialAnemone coronariacultivars assessed by AFLP

SummaryAnemone coronaria is an out-crossing species grown widely as an ornamental. The genetic divergence between and within five widely commercialised cultivars (‘Cristrina’, ‘Monalisa’, ‘Tetraelite’, ‘Wicabri’ and ‘Mistral’) has been evaluated using AFLP markers. Within each cultivar three-to-eight sub-cultivars, which differ mainly in the colour of their flowers, were assayed. Four plants within each sub-cultivar were genotyped. Due to the large size of the A. coronaria genome, an AFLP protocol based on restriction with Sbf I (an 8 bp cutter) and Mse I (a 4 bp cutter) was developed. Clear and reproducible electrophoretic patterns displaying 56 – 79 bands (average 67) per primer combination were obtained by applying five (Sbf I+2 / Mse I+3) selective nucleotides. A total of 402 bands were observed, of which 152 were polymorphic. Genetic similarities between accessions were calculated according to the Simple Matching Coefficient and used to construct a dendrogram based on the unweighted pair group method...