Chicory is a crop with economically important roles and is cultivated worldwide. The genetic diversity and relationship of 80 accessions of chicories and endives were evaluated by sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers to provide a theoretical basis for future breeding programs in China. The polymorphic rate was 96.83%, and the average polymorphic information content was 0.323, suggesting the rich genetic diversity of chicory. The genetic diversity degree of chicory was higher (G S = 0.677) than that of endive (G S = 0.701). The accessions with the highest genetic diversity (effective number of alleles, N E = 1.609; Nei's genetic diversity, H = 0.372; Shannon information index, I = 0.556) were from Italy. The richest genetic diversity was revealed

ABSTRACT. Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. var. dactylon (common bermudagrass) is widely distributed geographically between approximately 45°N and 45°S latitude, penetrating to approximately 53°N latitude in Europe. The extensive variation of morphological and adaptive characteristics of the taxon has been substantially documented, but information is lacking on DNA molecular variation in geographically disparate forms. The genetic diversity of 51 wild accessions of bermudagrass from southwest China (Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Tibet) and 8 African bermudagrass was analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism molecular markers. A total of 670 polymorphic bands were detected with 11 primer combinations, of which 663 (98.74%) bands were found to be polymorphic. The genetic similarity among the accessions ranged from 0.64-0.96 with an average of 0.78. All 59 wild accessions were clustered into 5 ecogeographic groups, and nearly all accessions from the same area were classified into the same group and were found to be associated with their geographical distributions. Therefore, complex geographical and 1749 Genetic diversity of wild Cynodon dactylon ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 14 (1): 1748-1756 (2015) ecological environments are important factors for the genetic structure and geographical distribution of C. dactylon.