Using RAPDs to study phylogenetic relationships in Rosa

Nineteen species of rose (Rosa sp.) were analysed using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA markers (RAPD). Each 10-base-long arbitrary primer produced a specific DNA banding pattern that grouped plants belonging to the same species and botanical sections as predicted from their genetic background. One hundred and seventy-five amplification products were examined by cluster analysis to assess the genetic relationships among species and their genetic distances. All of the accessions belonging to 1 species grouped together before branching to other species. Dendrograms constructed for intra- and inter-specific studies showed a good correlation with previous classifications by different authors based on morphological and cariological studies. Our results show that the RAPD technique is a sensitive and precise tool for genomic analysis in rose, being useful in assigning unclassified accessions to specific taxonomic groups or else allowing accessions classified by traditional criteria to be re-classified.