Interspecific relationship and genetic diversity in wild beets in section Corollinae genus Beta : isozyme and enRandom Amplification of Polymorphic Desoxyribonucleic AcidRAPD analyses

Interspecific relationship among wild beets in section Corollinae was analyzed. Isozyme allele composition supports the concept of three basic species consisting of two diploid species, Beta lomatogona and Beta macrorhiza and the tetraploid species, Beta corolliflora. The polyploid and apomictic species referred to as Beta trigyna and Beta intermedia were found as hybrids. Based on isozyme and RAPD results, B. corolliflora was also found more related to B. macrorhiza than to B. lomatogona. From the phylogenetic trees constructed from isozyme data, B. corolliflora and B. macrorhiza seem to be the end members of the evolutionary line. Analysis of genetic diversity showed that B. corolliflora was more polymorphic and heterozygous than B. lomatogona and B. macrorhiza. Differences between B. macrorhiza accessions from Turkey and Dagestan were found.