Intra-specific DNA polymorphism in pineapple (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ananas comosus</Emphasis> (L.) Merr.) assessed by AFLP markers

Pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) cultivars, often derived from somatic mutations, are propagated vegetatively. It has been suggested by isozyme data that there is little genetic variation among Smooth Cayenne cultivars. A thorough investigation of the genetic variation within the cultivated speciesAnanas comosus, particularly among commercial cultivars, will provide critical information needed for crop improvement and cultivar protection. One-hundred and forty-eight accessions ofA. comosus and 14 accessions of related species were evaluated with AFLP markers. The average genetic similarity ofA. comosus was 0.735 ranging from 0.549 to 0.972, suggesting a high degree of genetic variation within this species. With AFLP markers, discrete DNA fingerprints were detected for each commercial cultivar, breeding line, and intra-specific hybrid. Self-incompatibility, high levels of somatic mutation, and intraspecific hybridization may account for this high degree of variation. However, major cultivar groups of pineapple, such as Cayenne, Spanish, and Queen, could not be distinctively separated. These cultivar groups are based on morphological similarity, and the similar appearance can be caused by a few mutations that occurred on different genetic background. Our results suggest that there is abundant genetic variation within existing pineapple germplasm for selection, and discrete DNA fingerprinting patterns for commercial cultivars can be detected for cultivar protection. The genetic diversity and relationships of fourAnanas species are also discussed.     

Assessment of genetic relationships among Pyrus species and cultivars using AFLP and RAPD markers

Twenty-five Pyrus communis L. cultivars including eight traditional Portuguese pears, and four commercial Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm.) Nak. (Japanese pear or `nashi') cultivars were analysed by RAPD and AFLP techniques focusing on their molecular discrimination and the assessment of their genetic relatedness. Twenty-five primers generated 324 RAPD markers, among which 271 (84%) were polymorphic. The AFLP technique, using seven primer combinations, revealed a similar level of molecular polymorphisms (87%), representing 418 polymorphic bands among a total of 478 scored in autoradiographs. The high reproducibility of RAPD and AFLP techniques was confirmed comparing DNA samples from different extractions and different digestions of DNA from the same plant. Three genetic similarity matrices and respective dendrograms were elaborated on using RAPD, AFLP or joint RAPD and AFLP data. Both molecular marker techniques proved their reliability to assess genetic relationships among pear cultivars. P. pyrifolia cultivars exhibit a closer genetic relatedness, clustering apart from P. communis cultivars. Within P. communis, `William's', as well as `Doyenne du Comice', cluster close to their hybrids. Most of the Portuguese cultivars tend to cluster together, indicating to constitute a relatively independent genetic pool, which can be of interest in pear breeding programs.     

大蒜种质遗传多样性的SSR分析

为了探索中国大蒜种质个体的SSR位点的分布情况,为品种鉴定、保存及遗传改良提供分子生物学依据,利用6对SSR引物对40个大蒜(Allium sativumL.)品种进行聚类分析、主成分分析及遗传多样性评价。共检测到21个多态性位点,平均每对引物可扩增出约3.5条多态性片段,多态性百分率为56.76%;SSR引物组合平均有效等位基因数、Nei基因多样度和Shannon信息指数分别为1.5551、0.3414和0.5188。聚类分析显示,6对SSR引物可把40份大蒜种质资源从0.59相似系数水平上3个类群。第一类群包含28份种质,在相似系数为0.73的水平上进一步又被分成了3个亚类;第二亚类仅包含2份种质;第三亚类包含10份种质,在0.68的相似系数水平上分成了2个亚类。主成分分析和UPGMA的结果基本一致。不同地理来源的大蒜种质的Shannon-Weaver多样性指数的变幅为0.0576~0.4179,说明大蒜种质遗传多样性丰富。本研究利用SSR分子标记技术较准确地解析大蒜不同材料间的亲缘关系及遗传多样性,为中国大蒜SSR分子标记提供基础资料。     

AFLP fingerprinting of sesame (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sesamum indicum</Emphasis> L.) cultivars: identification,genetic relationship and comparison of AFLP informativeness parameters

Amplified fragments length polymorphism (AFLP) was used to distinguish 20 cultivars of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and to elucidate the genetic relationship among these genotypes. The data were also used to estimate the usefulness of parameters currently used to assess the informativeness of molecular markers. A total of 339 markers were obtained using 8 primer combinations. Of the bands, 91% were polymorphic. Five primer combinations were able to distinguish all 20 cultivars used. None of the remaining three primer combinations could distinguish all accessions if used alone, but using all three combinations reduced the probability of a random match to 5 × 10⁻⁵. Polymorphic information content (PIC), resolving power (Rp) and marker index (MI) of each primer combination failed to correlate significantly with the number of genotypes resolved. Jaccard’s similarity coefficients ranged from 0.31 to 0.78. Fifteen cultivars were grouped by four UPGMA-clusters supported by bootstrapping values larger than 0.70. The grouping pattern was similar to the grouping generated by principal coordinate analysis. The results demonstrated that AFLP-based fingerprints can be used to identify unequivocally sesame genotypes, which is needed for cultivar identification and for the assessment of the genetic variability of breeding stocks. We recommend to use the number of cultivars identified by a primer combination instead of PIC, Rp and MI; and to calculate the maximal, instead of average probability of identical match by chance in the assessment of the informativeness of a marker for cultivar identification.     

Ploidic and Molecular Analysis of ‘Morado de Huetor’ Asparagus (Asparagus officinale L.) Population; A Spanish Tetraploid Landrace

A study has been conducted into the genetic variation analysis of the tetraploid asparagus landrace ‘Morado de Huetor’ and its relationship with current commercial cultivars using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) molecular markers. The presence of different ploidic levels in the ‘Morado de Huetor’ landrace has been also studied using cytogenetic analysis. Ten decamer oligonucleotides were used to obtain RAPD markers and to characterise 52 individuals of ‘Morado de Huetor’, 7 of the tetraploid cultivar ‘Purple Passion’, and 55 of 5 diploid hybrid commercial cultivars. Jaccard similarity index was calculated and a cluster analysis using UPGMA (Unweighted Pair-Group Method using Arithmetic Average) was performed. Tetraploid asparagus, ‘Morado de Huetor’ and ‘Purple Passion’, were well differentiated from the diploid ones showing a higher genetic variability. This result suggests a different origin for tetraploid and diploid asparagus varieties. Within the diploid cultivars a variety distribution was obtained. A specific monomorphic band (OPB20₈₈₃) was found in tetraploid varieties. Within the diploid cultivars, two bands (OPB20₈₃₀, OPC15₇₀₅) can be used to distinguish between the hybrid cultivars used in this study. Tri-, penta-, hexa-, and octoploid plants were found in ‘Morado de Huetor’. The origin of these ploidic levels is discussed and their use in the development of new varieties is proposed. In conclusion, ‘Morado de Huetor’ is a genetic resource that could be used to increase the narrow genetic background reported in diploid asparagus cultivars.     

Genetic Diversity and Relationships of Japanese Peach (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus persica</Emphasis> L.) Cultivars Revealed by AFLP and Pedigree Tracing

To evaluate the genetic diversity and to clarify the genetic relationships of Japanese peach cultivars, we analyzed the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and traced the pedigree of 17 Japanese commercial peach cultivars and six traditional accessions. Sixteen AFLP primer combinations produced a total of 837 fragments and 146 polymorphic bands with a polymorphism percentage of 17.5%. All of the peach accessions could be identified from differences in at least 10 polymorphic bands. A cluster analysis showed that all the Japanese commercial peach cultivars, except ‘Kiyomi’ and ‘Jichigetsuto’, formed a major group consisting of three sub-groups. Of the six traditional accessions, four were genetically distant from the Japanese commercial peach cultivars while two accessions from China were classified into the Japanese commercial peach cultivars group. Both the AFLP analysis and pedigree tracing suggested that Japanese commercial peach cultivars are mainly derived from ‘Shanhai Suimitsuto’, one of the traditional accessions from China. Although the genetic relationships revealed by AFLP were generally in agreement with those shown by the pedigree information, some contradictions were found. Combining the AFLP results and pedigree information can provide a better understanding of the genetic relationships of Japanese peach cultivars.     

Microsatellite-based analysis of genetic diversity in 91 commercial Brassica oleracea L. cultivars belonging to six varietal groups

Brassica oleracea L. includes various types of important vegetables that show extremely diverse phenotypes. To elucidate the genetic diversity and relationships among commercial cultivars derived by different companies throughout the world, we characterized the diversity and genetic structure of 91 commercial B. oleracea cultivars belonging to six varietal groups, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, kale and kai-lan. We used 69 polymorphic microsatellite markers showing a total of 359 alleles with an average number of 5.20 alleles per locus. Polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.06 to 0.73, with an average of 0.40. Among the six varietal groups, kohlrabi cultivars exhibited the highest heterozygosity level, whereas kale cultivars showed the lowest. Based on genetic similarity values, an UPGMA clustering dendrogram and a two-dimensional scale diagram (PCoA) were generated to analyze genetic diversity. The cultivars were clearly separated into six different clusters with a tendency to cluster into varietal groups. Model-based structure analysis revealed six genetic groups, in which cabbage cultivars were divided into two subgroups that were differentiated by their head shape, whereas cauliflower and kai-lan cultivars clustered together into a single group. Furthermore, we identified 18 SSR markers showing 27 unique alleles specific to only one cultivar that can be used to discriminate 22 cultivars from the others. Our phylogenetic and population structure analysis presents new insights into the genetic structure and relationships among 91 B. oleracea cultivars and provides valuable information for breeding of B. oleracea species. In addition, we demonstrate the utility of SSR markers as a powerful tool for discriminating between the cultivars. The SSR markers described herein will also be helpful for Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) test of new cultivars.     

Genetic Diversity among Syrian Cultivated and Landraces Wheat Revealed by AFLP Markers

Genetic diversity among some important Syrian wheat cultivars was estimated using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Five Triticum aestivum L. and 10 Triticum turgidum ssp. durum were analyzed with 11 EcoRI–MseI primer pair combinations. Of the approximately 525 detected AFLP markers, only 46.67% were polymorphic. Cluster analysis with the entire AFLP data divided all cultivars into two major groups reflecting their origins. The first one contained T. aestivum L. cultivars, and the T. turgidum ssp. durum cultivars and landraces were grouped in the second. Narrow genetic diversity among all cultivars was detected with an average genetic similarity of 0.884. The lowest similarity index (0.9) was found between Cham5 and Hamary (durum wheat), whereas this value was 0.93 between Salamony and Bouhouth 4 (T. aestivum L.). The narrow genetic diversity level indicates that these genotypes could be originated from the same source. AFLP analysis provides crucial information for studying genetic variation among wheat cultivars and provides important information for plant improvement.     

Analysis of genetic diversity in Piper nigrum L. using RAPD markers

RAPD analysis was conducted in 22 cultivars of P. nigrum(black pepper) from South India and one accession each of P. longum and P. colubrinum. Twenty-four primers generated 372 RAPD markers of which 367 were polymorphic. Jaccard's similarity between pairs of accessions ranged between 0.11 and 0.66 with a mean of 0.38. Among P. nigrum cultivars, the similarity ranged between 0.20 and 0.66 and the mean was 0.42. The existence of wide genetic diversity as revealed in the present study is supported by earlier reports of extensive inter- and intrapopulation morphological variability in pepper cultivars from South India. UPGMA dendrogram and PCO plot revealed P. colubrinum to be most distant of the three species. Genetic proximity among P. nigrum cultivars could be related to their phenotypic similarities or geographical distribution. Greater divergence was observed among landraces than among advanced cultivars. Landraces grown in southern parts of coastal India and those grown in more northern parts were grouped in separate clusters of the dendrogram.     

Studying the extent of genetic diversity among Gossypium arboreum L. genotypes/cultivars using DNA fingerprinting

Genetic diversity is an area of concern for sustaining crop yield. Information on genetic relatedness/diversity among Gossypium arboreum L. cultivars/genotypes is scanty. We have used random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis to assess the genetic divergence/relationship among 30 genotypes/cultivars of G. arboreum. Of 45 primers surveyed, 63% were polymorphic. Out of the total number of loci amplified, 36% were polymorphic. The calculated genetic similarity between the cultivars/genotypes was in the range of 47.05–98.73%. Two genotypes, HK-244 and Entry-17, were the most distantly related. The average genetic relatedness among all the genotypes was 80.46%. However, most of the cultivated varieties showed a close genetic relationship, indicating a narrow genetic base in comparison to the non-cultivated germplasm. The calculated coefficients were used to construct a dendrogram using the unweighted pair group of arithmetic means (UPGMA) algorithm, which grouped the genotypes/cultivars into two major and three smaller clusters. The study is the first comprehensive analysis of the genetic diversity of G. arboreum germplasm and identifies cultivars that will be useful in extending the genetic diversity of cultivated varieties and future genome mapping projects.     

Comparative Analysis of Genetic Diversity in Two Tunisian Collections of Fig Cultivars Based on Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA and Inter Simple Sequence Repeats Fingerprints

This study characterized the genetic diversity of 18 Tunisian fig cultivars using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR). Both random and ISSR primers tested generated a total of 116 RAPD and 47 ISSR markers. Considerable genetic variation was observed among fig cultivars sampled from two regional Tunisian collections with an average diversity of 4.57. RAPD and ISSR banding patterns and genetic distances values reflected the high level of diversity among the collections and lower variability between the two collections. The correlation between the RAPD and ISSR similarity matrices computed for the 153 pairwise comparisons among the 18 varieties was lower and significant. An analysis of molecular variance showed that 92% of the total genetic diversity resided within collections, whereas only 8% between collections. The results indicated that in the local fig germ plasm the information provided by RAPD and ISSR is not analogous, most likely as a consequence of the fact that the two classes of markers explore, at least in part, different portions of the genome.     

Genetic relationships and diversity among Brazilian cultivars and landraces of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) revealed by AFLP markers

The genetic variation and relationships among 31 accessions of Phaseolus vulgaris L., and two representatives of Vigna unguiculata L., were evaluated by AFLP analysis. A total of 263 DNA fragments across all materials were scored using nine primer combinations, averaging 32 per primer. More than 95% of the amplification products showed polymorphism, indicating high variation at the DNA level among these accessions. Pair-wise genetic similarity (Jaccard's coefficient) ranged from 0.553 to 0.840, with a mean of 0.765. Twenty-three accessions (70%) clustered into three groups. A majority of the commercial cultivars (91%) clustered within a single group, whereas the landraces were distributed along all the variation. An apparent correlation with phaseolin types was detected. Results of this study suggest that Brazilian landraces truly represent the overall genetic variability of Phaseolus vulgaris, confirming the multiple origins of these materials, and their potential as a source of variation for breeding programs.     

Analysis of genetic diversity in the tuber mustard (Brassica juncea var. tumida Tsen et Lee) in the Yangtze river basin of China

In the present study, analyses of SSR molecular markers were performed to investigate the genetic diversity of 133 tuber mustard cultivars. Eighty-one pairs of SSR primers from a total of 600 in Brassica produced stable amplified bands. In addition, 810 bands were detected among the cultivars, and 724 of those were polymorphic (89.38 %). The average number of bands per locus was 10.0 with a range from 5 to 16. Shannon’s information index for each SSR locus varied from 0.52 to 3.72, with an average of 2.74. The coefficients of genetic similarity in the SSR marker patterns among the 133 cultivars ranged from 0.77 to 0.91, with an average of 0.85. The cluster analysis showed that the cultivars could be classified into six clusters when the genetic similarity was 0.83, with 90.23 % of the cultivars included in Clusters 5 and 6. Principal component analysis was carried based on the SSR data. The results showed that the first three principal components could explain the genetic variation with 85.47, 0.67, and 0.61 %, and the 133 cultivars could be divided into six clusters according to the nearest phylogenetic relationship. It was indicated that the similarity was high and the genetic diversity was narrow among the 133 mustard tuber cultivars. 360 individuals from 24 cultivars were analyzed to reveal the genetic structure and genetic diversity within cultivars. A total of 925 alleles were detected in the 24 cultivars. Estimates of the mean number of alleles ‘A’, the effective allelic number ‘A_e’, the observed heterozygosity ‘H_o’, and expected heterozygosity ‘H_e’ were 6.0, 3.6, 0.64, and 0.37, respectively. An obvious genetic deviation from Hardy–Weinberg expectation was observed both among and within cultivars and a considerable genetic variation was revealed within rather than among cultivars. It is necessary to broaden the genetic basis of the breeding germplasm in tuber mustard. Based on their geographical distributions, the tuber mustard cultivars in this study can be divided into up-Yangtze river, mid-Yangtze river, and down-Yangtze river groups. Genetic diversity was highest in mid-Yangtze river group, followed by up-Yangtze river group, and then down-Yangtze river group. It was presumed that the origin center or genetic diversity center of tuber mustard was mid-Yangtze river, and the crop was transmitted along the Yangtze river in both directions.     

A phenetic analysis of morphological variation in Citrullus lanatus in Namibia

Morphological data recorded from field trials using Citrullus lanatus germplasm collected in Namibia were used to analyse and compare the various morphotypes of this species. The experiment comprised wild types and local landraces as well as commercial cultivars. Cluster analysis supported the indigenous classification system used in Namibia, in which Citrullus types are distinguished based on gross morphology, ecology and usage and grouped into seed, cooking and fresh-eating (watermelon) types. Commercial watermelon cultivars formed a distinct cluster. Wide variation was found within the local types whereas the genetic basis of the commercial type appears to be narrow. The commercial cultivars were most closely related to local watermelon types and more distantly related to the wild types, whereas the cooking melons form an intermediate group.     

Analysis of Genetic Diversity in Barley Cultivars Reveals Incongruence Between S-SAP,SNP and Pedigree Data

Accurate assessment of genetic similarity is important for plant breeding, germplasm enhancement and conservation of plant genetic resources. A comparative analysis of genome diversity among a group of six-rowed spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars was carried out using sequence-specific amplified polymorphism (S-SAP) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), with the results compared to the kinship coefficients derived from the pedigree data. Mean pair-wise GS values were estimated to be 0.0957 ± 0.144 (Kinship), 0.491 ± 0.189 (SNPs), and 0.602 ± 0.098 (S-SAPs). S-SAP and SNP-based genetic similarity (GS) values were normally distributed but kinship values had a non-normal and skewed distribution. Pair-wise correlation of GS values were lowest for the S-SAP and the SNP matrices (r =; 0.040, p<0.230) and highest for the SNP and pedigree matrices (r =; 0.240, p < 0.001). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) attributed about 90.4% of observed variation to the cultivars within each of the malting and feed groups. Variance component between malting and feed groups was 6.6% for both SNP and S-SAP data suggesting lack of a significant genetic differentiation along this agronomic division. The remaining 3% of variation was attributed to genetic diversity within cultivars. Although both DNA-based marker systems were able to differentiate all barley cultivars, significant difference were observed in the pattern of genetic relationships obtained by the two marker systems and the pedigree data.     

Genetic Diversity Among Brazilian Cultivars and Landraces of Tomato Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill. Revealed by RAPD Markers

Random amplified polymorphic DNA markers (RAPD) were used to estimate the variability of 35 tomato accessions (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). A total of 257 reproducibly scorable bands were obtained from 20 primers, 78.6% of which were polymorphic. The percentage distribution of RAPD markers shows a bimodal distribution, and the frequency of rare alleles is similar in commercial and landrace accessions. Genetic distances among accessions were calculated and a dendrogram showing the genetic relationships among them was constructed allowing for the separation of four groups. Twenty out of 23 Brazilian landraces fell within one group, whereas commercial cultivars were distributed in the four groups. AMOVA analysis of RAPD data showed that, despite the high within Brazilian landraces and commercial cultivars variation, these two groups are significantly different, indicating that landraces can be a source of variation for breeding programs.     

Pattern of genetic diversity of cultivated and non-cultivated mashua, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tropaeolum tuberosum</Emphasis>, in the Cusco region of Perú

This paper analyzes the genetic diversity of mashua cultivars grown in six communities in the Cusco region of Perú, of non-cultivated forms collected in the same region, and a sample of cultivars from the germplasm collection at the International Potato Center (CIP). From the DNA fingerprinting generated by SRAP markers, it is clear that mashua is a genetically variable crop with a range of similarity ranging from 65 to 99%. The widest range of variation was found for the most isolated community, Sayllafaya. Another important finding was that most of the non-cultivated accessions are likely feral races resulting from escape to cultivation rather than wild relatives. In general the range of variation of the cultivars from the communities and their feral relatives are not represented in the cultivars sampled of the collection maintained at the International Potato Center, Perú.     

Relationship of European persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) cultivars to Asian cultivars, characterized using AFLPs

Sixty one persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) selections, including 17 Italian, 11 Spanish, 13 Japanese, six Korean, five Chinese, one Israeli, and eight of unknown origin, were evaluated for genetic differences by AFLP analysis. Relationships among cultivars were evaluated by UPGMA clustering, Neighbor Joining, and MultiDimensional Scaling. While similarities among groups were generally less than 0.60, both UPGMA and Neighbor Joining separated European and Asian cultivars. Spanish and Italian cultivars were not separated by any of the analyses, suggesting that they share a common gene pool, while Japanese, Chinese and Korean cultivars formed distinct clusters. Diversity within groups was greater than diversity between groups. Most cultivars were quite polymorphic (only 0.60–0.80 similarity between cultivars). In addition, the presence of several Japanese cultivars in the European group and a group of European cultivars nested between Chinese and Korean groups suggest that similar, but different progenitors were used in the development of the present European cultivars. ‘Kaki Tipo’ selections from different sources were clearly different by AFLP analysis, indicating that they are separate cultivars.     

Assessing genetic diversity of Polish wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis>) varieties using microsatellite markers

Fifty-three wheat cultivars have been genotyped using 24 SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers in order to evaluate genetic similarities among Polish wheats, i.e. 53 spring and winter cultivars; ‘Chinese Spring’ was taken as reference. ll but one SSR marker allowed to identify DNA polymorphisms, giving in total 166 alleles (including nulls), from 3 to 13 alleles per marker with mean of 7.22. Based on marker data, genetic similarities were calculated and a dendrogram was created. ‘Spring’ cultivars were less diverse than winter ones, showing the biggest similarity to ‘Chinese Spring’. Four sister cultivars (Nutka, Tonacja, Zyta and Sukces), formed a cluster of very similar materials, of which Zyta and Sukces had the highest similarity indices. Parental lines Jubilatka and SMH 2182 were more distant from each other (genetic similarity of 0.227). It was possible to differentiate all the wheats using only four SSR markers: Xgwm186, Xgwm389, Xgwm459 and Xgwm577.     

Genetic diversity and similarity of pear (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pyrus</Emphasis> L.) cultivars native to East Asia revealed by SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to assess genetic diversity and relationship of Pyrus L. cultivars native mainly to East Asia. A total of 168 putative alleles were generated from six primer-pairs (BGA35, KU10, BGT23b, NH004a, NH011b and NH015a). All the SSR markers showed a high level of genetic polymorphism with a mean of 28 putative alleles per locus and the heterozygosity of 0.63. The Dice’s similarity coefficient between cultivars ranged from 0.02 to 0.98 and Occidental pears generally had low affinities to Asian pears. Ten major groups were generated from all the accessions by UPGMA clusters analysis. Chinese sand pears consisted of four groups with Chinese white pears and Japanese pears, of which Chinese sand pears occurred in all four groups, presenting a large genetic diversity, Chinese white pears were included in three groups, and Japanese pears only fell into one group. In the dendrogram, Chinese sand pears and Chinese white pears did not form discrete group, even subgroups. Some Japanese pear cultivars had high affinities to Chinese sand pear cultivars. These findings supports the authors’ previous viewpoints of Chinese white pears as a variety or an ecotype of Chinese sand pears (P. pyrifolia var. sinensis (Lindley) Y. Teng et K. Tanabe) and the progenitor of Japanese pears coming from China. Cultivars of P. ussuriensis Maxim. were clustered together with one clone of P. hondoensis Nakai et Kikuchi, a relative species of P. ussuriensis. Cultivars of P. communis L. and other Occidental species formed three independent groups and were distant from most Asian pears, except for P. betulaefolia Bge.