Genetic Diversity of Jordanian Wild Crocus Species as Detected by RAPD

DNA among eight selected wild Crocus species was evaluated using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD). These are Crocus aleppicus Baker, C. cancellatus Herbert, C.cartwrightianus Herbert,C. damascenus Herbert, C. hermoneus Ky.ex Maw subsp. palaestinus, C. hyemalis Boiss. Blanche, C. moabiticus Bomm. Dinsm. ex Bomm, and C. Pallasii supsp. Haussknechtii. The cultivated species; C. sativus and C. vernus were purchased from Italy. Genetic similarities between the Crocus species were evaluated by NTSYS-pc software using Dice coefficient. The dendogram was constructed using the Un weighted Pair Group Method (UPGMA). As a result, tested Crocus species were grouped into four well–separated monophyletic clusters. The cultivated species were clustered separately from the wild collected species. Wild Crocus species collected from different sites for the same species were clustered together. Cluster analysis indicated a high degree of inter and intra species variation within the wild Crocus species. High genetic association was found among some wild species originated from the same collection site. The wild collected C. moabiticus (a Jordanian endemic species) was found to be very close to the cultivated C. sativus. The current results showed close relationship between C. sativus and C. moabiticus. This analysis demonstrated that RAPD-PCR has proved to be a successful tool to determine genetic diversity among studied Crocus species.