Genetic Relationships among Weedy Purple Loosestrife (Lytrhum salicaria L.) Populations and Cultivars

• Published in: HortScience Vol. 30; no. 4; p. 856
• Main Authors: Strefeler, Mark S, Darmo, Elizabeth, Becker, Roger L, Katovich, Elizabeth J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-07-1995
• ISSN: 0018-5345; 2327-9834
• DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI.30.4.856F

Starch gel electrophoresis of plant proteins was used to genetically identify purple loosestrife (
Lythrum
spp.) cultivars and weedy populations. Preliminary determinations were made as to what degree weedy loosestrife populations were related (or genetically similar) to populations of
L. alatum, L. virgatum
, and horticultural cultivars. Cluster analysis of the data indicated that native
L. alatum
was genetically different from all populations of purple loosestrife and cultivars examined. The
L. salicaria
and
L. virgatum
cultivars, as groups, were not genetically distinguishable from the weedy populations analyzed. Seven cultivars of
L. salicaria
origin analyzed as a group were not distinguishable from the eight cultivars of
L. virgatum
origin, indicating that separation by cultivar origin may not be feasible. While the two “groups” were not distinguishable, most individual cultivars could be distinguished from one another by isozyme phenotype. Genetic variation was high within populations of weedy purple loosestrife but low among populations, which is characteristic of polyploid, perennial plant species that are widely distributed. Geographic location did not consistently correlate with genetic similarity.