Cultivar Identification and Genetic Diversity within a Hatiora (Cactaceae) Clonal Germplasm Collection Using Isozymes

Abstract

Isozyme markers were used to identify cultivars and assess the genetic diversity within a germplasm collection of 49 Hatiora Britt. & Rose clones. The collection included accessions of Easter cactus [H. gaertneri (Regel) Barthlott, H. graeseri Barthlott ex D. Hunt, and H. rosea (Lagerheim) Barthlott] plus H. herminiae (Campos-Porto & Castellanos) Backeberg ex Barthlott and H. salcornioides (Haworth) Britton & Rose. Seven enzyme systems were analyzed: aspartate aminotransferase, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, leucine aminopeptidase, malate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase, shikimate dehydrogenase, and triosephosphate isomerase. Thirteen loci and 42 alleles were identified. Twenty-one clones (43%) displayed unique isozyme profiles, but the remaining 28 clones shared isozyme profiles with one to three other clones. Percent polymorphic loci, mean number of alleles per locus, and mean heterozygosity were 69, 3.23, and 0.30, respectively, for the entire collection. Isozymes also proved useful for verifying that some progeny were genuine F1 hybrids.