DNA fingerprinting study on the intraspecific variation and the origin of Prunus yedoensis (Someiyoshino)

Abstract

In order to investigate the intraspecific variation of Prunus yedoensis (Someiyoshino) and interspecific relationship among P. yedoensis, P. lannesiana (Oshimazakura) and P. pendula (Edohigan), DNA fingerprinting study was conducted by using two different kinds of probes, M13 repeat sequence and (GACA)₄ synthetic oligonucleotide. In this study, 68 plants of P. yedoensis grown in 46 prefectures in Japan were investigated. All the P. yedoensis individuals investigated showed the completely same banding pattern, indicating their clonal origin from a single plant. On the other hand, each of P. lannesiana and P. pendula individuals investigated showed a unique banding pattern, suggesting a considerable amount of genetic variation in these two species. About 90% of bands in DNA fingerprints of P. yedoensis were detected in either P. lannesiana or P. pendula. This result supports the hypothesis that P. yedoensis is an interspecific hybrid between P. lannesiana and P. pendula. From those results, it is concluded that P. yedoensis was produced only once through hybridization between P. lannesiana and P. pendula, and that this particular hybrid plant has been spread vegetatively all over Japan.