Genetic diversity and relationships among cultivated and wild accessions of tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) as revealed by RAPD markers

The methodology of sampling and the selection of a proper marker systemfor the analysis of accessions are major concerns in the evaluation of gene bank material. In our study the RAPD analysis of bulked DNA samples and single seedsDNA was successfully employed to evaluate intra- and inter-population geneticvariability of cultivated and wild tartary buckwheat accessions. The bulkingapproach enabled the distinction of all 40 analysed accessions and theirseparation into geographically well defined clusters. Three wild populations,two from Sichuan and one from Qinghai, formed a group that was geneticallyrelatively distant from wild populations from Tibet and all cultivatedlandraces which, on the other hand, exhibited very close relationships. Thesingle seed study that was used after bulked DNA analysis provided detailedinformation of the genetic variation present within some accessions of specialinterest. A moderate level of genetic variability was detected betweenaccessions and the variability was partitioned into between- andwithin-population components. On average, most of the detected variation ispresent between F. tataricumpopulations. The genetic and geographic distribution of variability is furtherdiscussed. We demonstrated the usefulness of combining bulking and single seedstudy approaches for the effective evaluation of genetic variability inF. tataricum accessions that couldalso have wider applicability in the management of plant genetic resources andphylogenetic studies.