GENETIC VARIATION AND MOLECULAR RELATIONSHIPS TAXA OF Conringia HEIST. EX FABR. (BRASSICACEAE) BASED ON RAPD MARKERS IN TURKEY

In this study, genetic variation and phylogenetic analysis of 13 populations of 6 species belonging to Conringia genus spreading in Turkey were performed using RAPD markers. Genomic DNA isolation from the leaves of the Conringia plant samples was performed via using a commercial kit. Seven RAPD primers were used to identify the genetic diversity between the populations. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed using DNA samples and primers. PCR products were resolved using agarose gel electrophoresis and visualized under UV light. All gel images were analyzed, and the absence and presence of polymorphic bands were scored. The total of 34 DNA bands were detected by seven RAPD primers. PAUP 4.0b10 analysis program was used to calculate phylogenetic tree and genetic distances between the species. The phylogenetic tree was obtained using the UPGMA algorithm and it was composed of two clades. According to the PAUP analysis, the species having the closest distance between each other are C. planisiliqua (Ankara-AyaG) and C. planisiliqua (Ankara-Nallihan) with the value of 0.000 and those having the longest distance are C. grandiflora (Akseki Cukurkoy) and C. orientalis (Elazig-Baskil) with the value of 0.6000. The results suggest that the RAPD markers are useful tools to demonstrate the genetic relationships between populations of the Conringia species.