RFLP analysis of Aegilops species belonging to the Sitopsis section

The phylogenetic relationships among theAegilops species belonging to the Sitopsis section were investigated using RFLP (restriction-fragment-length polymorphism) analysis. Twenty-five probes, each of which hybridised to oneor more restriction fragments located in the B-genomechromosomes of cultivated wheats, were used. At least one and in most cases two fragments were located in every B genome chromosome arm. Adendrogram derived from a cluster analysis of the complete RFLP dataset showed a subdivision of the species belonging to the Sitopsis section into one group comprising the species of the Truncata subsection and another group comprised of the species of theEmarginata subsection. Dendrograms also were produced using RFLP data from loci located in different combinations of only three chromosomes, and some of these showed different subdivisions of the species. This demonstrates the importance in obtaining reliable classification data of using probes that detect loci evenly distributed in the genome and located in each chromosomearm.