Genetic analyses and molecular identification of 25 superior clones of Camellia oleifera

【Objective】This study aimed to lay a theoretical foundation for rational use of Camellia oleifera germplasm resource and provide technical support for the conservation of elite C.oleifera varieties. 【Method】SRAP molecular markers were used to assess the genetic diversity and molecular identification of 25 superior clones of C.oleifera from Jiangxi Province.【Result and conclusion】Three hundred ard forty seven sites were amplified by 11 primer combinations of SRAP, among which 332 were polymorphic sites. The percentage of polymorphic sites was 95.68%. The result of cluster analysis indicated that the genetic distance of the 25 superior clones ranged from 0.255 6 to 0.738 4, and the average genetic distance was 0.599 9, indicating that these cultivars had similar geographical origins. The 25 superior clones were divided into five groups by cluster analysis according to genetic distance 0.528 0. DNA fingerprints of the 25 superior clones were constructed using the screened primer combinations. The fingerprint constructed by each primer combination can be used for molecular identification of the 25 superior clones.