Genetic structure in Hypericum perforatum L. population

Background and Purpose: Population structure in Hypericum perforatum L., a hybrid apomictic plant species of medicinal importance, was studied using RAPD markers. The total of 109 samples collected from various locations in Croatia were compared on the basis of RAPD profiles obtained by amplifications with six primers. Materials and Methods: Total cellular DNA was extracted from the samples collected from 8 locations in Croatia. PCR amplification was performed using 6 decamer oligonucleotide primers. Allele frequencies were computed according to Bayesian method with non-uniform prior distribution. The number of polymorphic loci (95% criterion) and Nei’s gene diversity for population and the group of subspecies were calculated using program package AFLP-SURV 1.0. Results and Conclusions: The results obtained show gene diversity in H. perforatum L. in a range between 0.121 and 0.301. Three populations had significantly lower level of diversity, four populations had slightly higher, while one population was polymorphic. Higher polymorphism of one population as well as variations in values between different populations may be explained by residual fertility and outcrossing which may have occurred in some populations. High fixation index (0.331) indicates limited gene flow as the consequence of prevaling apomixis.