CHLOROPLAST DNA DIVERSITY IN EGGPLANT (SOLANUM-MELONGENA) AND ITS RELATED SPECIES S-INCANUM AND S-MARGINATUM

Total chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) from Solanum incanum, a wild relative of eggplant, was used to probe total DNAs from 27 accessions of S, melongena (eggplant), S, incanum sensu lato and S. marginatum, all of which are quite similar in their morphology. There is a wide diversity in plastotypes within S. incanum sensu late. On the other hand, only one restriction fragment pattern difference was detected between S. melongena and S. incanum sensu late. The restriction fragment patterns generated by eight enzymes were recorded as present or absent, and a matrix for all fragment positions, enzymes and accessions was used for cluster analysis. In the dendrogram, it is suggested that S. marginatum is not nearly as closely related to S. melongena and S. incanum sensu late as previously supposed, and some of accessions treated as S. incanum sensu late, originated from Southern Africa, should be called S. lichtensteinii.