Analysis of phylogenetic relationships in the Triticeae tribe using RFLPs

Abstract

The use of restriction fragment length polymorphisms in combination with other approaches is very useful for the reconstruction of evolutionary events revealing phylogenetic relationships. A set of 21 cDNA probes hybridizing to different chromosome arms in hexaploid wheat was used in a series of experiments designed to estimate the phylogenetic relationships among and within 16 species of the Triticeae tribe. A high degree of polymorphism was found both between and within the species examined. The RFLP data were used to generate a cladogram and a phenogram in order to compare the two different methods of constructing phylogenetic trees. The results of both methods were consistent with each other and with the general taxonomic information provided by earlier morphological studies, meiotic pairing analysis, isozyme tests, and sequence alignment in theTer,NOR, and5s DNA loci. In addition, several correlations were found between the geographical origin of accessions from the same species and their phylogenetic relationships as shown by the cladogram and phenogram.