Knowledge of the underlying level, structure and origin of geneticvariation within and between plant populations is crucial forscientific approaches to their utilization and conservation(Yeh,1989; Hamrick, 1993). Determinants of the level and structure of genetic variation within plant species include matingsystem, evolutionary history, life-history characteristics, population density and mechanisms of gene flow (Schaal, 1980;Loveless and Hamrick, 1984; Hamrick et al., 1992; Loveless, 1992). In addition to the within-species issues, potentially complex interactions among species must be considered(Rieseberg and Brunsfeld, 1992; Rieseberg and Wendel, 1993).Although morphological characters and various productiontraits have traditionally been used to characterize levels andpatterns of diversity, these traits alone represent only a smallportion of the genome and are also influenced by environmentalfactors, thereby limiting their utility in describing the potentiallycomplex genetic structures which may exist within and amongtaxa (Avise, 1994).
Publication year
1996
Authors
Language
English
Keywords
molecular markers, genetic variation, gliricidia, gliricidia sepium
