Analysis of the relationships between species of the genus Prosopis revealed by the use of molecular markers.

摘要

The 44 species of the genus Prosopis include several which are utilised as multipurpose trees and shrubs within their natural range and as exotics in plantation programmes. However, domestication and exploitation of the genus has been hampered by poor understanding of its taxonomy. Randomly amplified polymorphisms of DNA (RAPD) from cotyledons were used to analyse the taxonomy of 15 Prosopis species from Senegal, India and Argentina. Molecular markers were identified which were present in all species analysed, only in American species, specific to the section Strombocarpa, or specific to the section Algorobia, except P. kuntzei. The different RAPD profiles showed by P. kuntzei suggest a low degree of relatedness of this species to the other Prosopis analysed. The use of RAPDs markers clearly distinguished the five sections of the genus. The profiles obtained for P. argentina in the monospecific section Monilicarpa confirm the distinct character of this species. However, the results suggest that regrouping of species within the section Algarobia may be required.