Distinction of Ozothamnus diosmifolius (Vent.) DC genotypes using RAPD

Abstract

An assessment was made to determine the suitability of RAPD analysis foridentification of the Australian wildflower Ozothamnus diosmifolius (Vent.)DC [syn. Helichrysum diosmifolium (Vent.) Sweet] cultivars and lines. Of 19arbitrary primer sequences tested, 16 revealed a high degree of polymorphismbetween the six most important genotypes with commercial significance,producing a total of 166 markers, of which 70% were polymorphic. Severalprimers (such as OPD-03 and OPM-07) were able to distinguish all testedgenotypes from one another, showing an intracultivar consistency. Theseresults indicate that RAPD analysis is a useful tool for establishing geneticdiversity in this species as well as assisting in commercial protection ofplant breeders' rights.