Restriction fragment length polymorphism based phylogenetic analysis of Avena L.

We report a molecular approach to the study of the phylogenetic relationships of Avena diploid and polyploid species based on RFLP detected with three cDNA probes of nuclear genes belonging to multigenic families (low pI alpha-amylase, avenin, and globulin). All the probes were highly informative in the detection of polymorphism between oat species. Associations between species were determined from cluster (UPGMA) analysis based on distance values calculated from RFLP data separately for each of the two levels of ploidy. Results were in general agreement with morphology based phylogenetic analyses, confirming the large differentiation among A and C genomes in the evolution of diploid species and the genetic homogeneity among A. brevis, A. strigosa, and A. nuda and the recently discovered A. atlantica. A certain divergence was observed between two endemic species (A. canariensis and A. damascena) and the other diploid species with the A genome. The analysis of tetraploid species relationships confirms the differentiation of the barbata complex (A. wiestii, A. barbata, A. abyssinica, and A. vaviloviana) from the maroccana-murphyi-agadiriana group, which, despite some similarities in morphological and biochemical traits, seems to have accumulated deep genetic differences along its evolutionary pathway.