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8. MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY OF THE GENUS LOLIUM
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8.3. RESULTS
8.3.1. Diversity of organelle DNA in the genus Lolium
In total three different cpDNA haplotypes were identified using HaeIII digestion (Figure
8.1). They did not group species in accordance with their taxonomy. The haplotype with three
bands was typical of four taxa, L. loliaceum, L. persicum and two subspecies of L. perenne -
multiflorum and perenne. The same haplotype was observed in F. pratensis. The other three
Lolium species, L. remotum, L. temulentum and L. rigidum had a single fast band, probably
resulted from the digestion into several very small bands not resolvable by agarose gels. The
unique haplotype with five bands was observed in P. pratensis.
The greater variation was observed among mtDNA haplotypes. They possessed from
three to ten bands (Figure 8.2). Among them two bands were common to all studied species
(band n o -1 and n o -5). The other two bands could be used as markers of two Lolium groups.
The band N o -3 was typical to all allogamous species. Its presence in F. pratensis confirmed
close relationships between Festuca and Lolium. In contrast, its presence in L. loliaceum was
somehow surprising because this species is normally classified in the autogamous group. On
the other hand, three autogamous species, L. persicum, L. remotum and L. temulentum had
clearly distinct haplotypes with a band N o -9 as the most typical. This band was not observed
in any allogamous species and L. loliaceum, but it could be found in P. pratensis.
When all bands observed for mtDNA were taken together, the clear picture was that
three autogamous species, L. persicum, L. remotum and L. temulentum had the common
haplotype, clearly distinct from the others taxa. The rest of studied species formed the second
group with quite variable haplotypes from one species to another. Such diversity was
also observed for different cultivars and ecotypes of multiflorum and perenne therefore, hap-