Genetic relationships between KoreanCalanthespecies and some naturally occurring mutants based on multiple DNA markers

Abstract

RAPD, ISSR and AFLP were used to assess the genetic relationships among Korean Calanthe (Orchidaceae) species. Sixteen accessions belonging to five native Calanthe species and some spontaneous mutants were studied. The mutants clustered with C. sieboldii, indicating that they are genetically closer to C. sieboldii than to the rest of the species. Calanthe bicolor clustered with C. discolor, suggesting that its genetic composition is close to that of C. discolor. Though it is suggested to have originated as a result of natural hybridization between C. sieboldii and C. discolor, introgression is likely to have occurred in the direction of C. discolor. Calanthe reflexa and C. aristulifera were the most genetically differentiated of the species studied. We identified 117, 42, 50 putative makers via RAPD, ISSR and AFLP analysis, respectively.