Relationships of wild Brassica species with chromosome number 2n = 18, based on RFLP studies

An array of 10 wild Brassica species with chromosome number 2n = 18 represented by 34 populations was analyzed for genome similarity using genomic and cDNA clones. Species studied included B. bourgeaui (Webb) O. Kuntze, B. cretica Lam., B. hilarionis G.E. Post, B. incana Ten., B. insularis Moris, B. macrocarpa (Guss.) Caruel, B. montana Pourret, B. oleracea L., B. rupestris Rafin., and B. villosa Biv. The RFLP data were used to calculate similarities between populations that were subsequently treated in a cluster analysis. Most populations of a species were grouped together and were separate from populations of other species. The previously identified B. incana - B. rupestris - B. villosa complex was verified, and genetic similarity between the species B. montana and B. oleracea was evident. An interesting association between B. insularis and B. macrocarpa was observed. The UPGMA analysis showed that the species tended to cluster according to geographic region: B. cretica and B. hilarionis comprise a cluster that could be called Eastern Mediterranean; B. oleracea, B. bourgeaui, and B. montana define an Atlantic - Western Mediterranean cluster; B. incana, B. rupestris, and B. villosa form an Italian group; and a B. insularis - B. macrocarpa association may be called Central Mediterranean.