No description available.

The usefulness of RAPDs (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) to distinguish among different taxa of Lotus was evaluated. The following species were included: L. corniculatus, L. tenuis, L. alpinus, L. japonicus, and L. uliginosus. Several accessions for each species were studied. Following DNA extraction, amplification reactions were performed in a Hybaid DNA Thermal Cycler, and the product visualized according to a standard procedure. Twenty primers were used for each species/accession. Clear bands and several polymorphisms were obtained for all primers. A phenogram was drawn based on the genetic distance among the species. L. alpinus appears as the most distant species from L. corniculatus, followed by L. uliginosus, L. tenuis, and L. japonicus. With the exception of L. alpinus, these findings are in agreement with previous experimental studies in the L. corniculatus group. The use of a greater number of primers and increased number of species may provide a greater resolution of the systematics of these taxa.

No description available.