MARCADORES RAPD, HERRAMIENTA PARA LA DISCRIMINACIÓN ESPECÍFICA EN EL GÉNERO Zea

Abstract

Thirty six populations of Zea mays subespecie mexicana, Zea mays subespecie parviglumis, Zea diploperennis, Zea perennis, Zea luxurians, y Zea nicaraguensis were analyzed with the RAPD primer OPA20 to determine the potential of specific discrimination of those markers. The grouping analysis, based on the amplification profiles obtained by PCR (profiles formed by 5 to 11, from a total of 25 amplified loci, varying from 200 to around 2000 pb) suggests that RAPD are broadly distributed in the genome of all analyzed taxa of Zea, and allow distinguishing profiles with a species-specific tendency. The RAPD polymorphism profiles also partially allow discriminating among races, and appreciating the following tendencies: 1) the grouping of Zea mays subsp. parviglumis race Balsas from Guerrero a separate clade, 2) the grouping of all populations of Zea mays subsp. mexicana race Chalco, 3) the separation of Zea mays subsp. mexicana race Mesa Central of Jalisco and Durango, from other populations of the same race, 4) the separation of Zea luxurians and Zea nicaraguensis, which, although forming part of the same group, each was placed in an independent subgroup.