Mitochondrial DNA variation within P-type cytoplasmic male sterility of Plantago lanceolata L

MtDNA restriction fragment polymorphisms were found between cytoplasmic male-sterility types P and R of Plantago lanceolata with the homologous probe pPl311 and maize mtDNA fragments derived from the regions of atp1, cox1 and cox2. No mtDNA differences were observed between male- sterile and restored plants with the same cytoplasmic type. The con-sistency of the polymorphisms was studied in 83 plants from 24 natural populations in the Netherlands. Within the R-cytoplasm no mtDNA polymorphisms were found, whereas seven variant mtDNA RFLP patterns were observed within the P-cytoplasm using pPl311. We also report on a putative new cytoplasmic male-sterility type, which showed a unique RFLP pattern supporting its distinct status.