Analysis on Genetic Diversity and Genetic Structure of Different Floral Patterns of Camellia reticulate f. simplex

Fluorescent AFLP markers were used to analyze the genetic varieties of 90 samples from 3 natural floral patterns of Camellia reticulate f. simplex collected from Tengchong County. The results showed that a total of 697 DNA fragments were produced by 7 AFLP primer combinations. At species level, all DNA fragments were found to be polymorphic (100%), effective number of alleles (N_e) was 1.361 4, Nei’s gene diversity (H) was 0.257 6, and Shannon’s information index was (I) 0.421 5. All of the genetic diversity parameters revealed that there was a relatively high level of genetic diversity in C. reticulate f. simplex. On the level of natural floral pattern, the scope of H_nfp and I_nfp was from 0.241 8 to 0.255 8 and from 0.395 9 to 0.413 2, respectively. The order of genetic diversity level was single floral pattern >semi-double floral pattern >double floral pattern. Genetic differentiation coefficient (G_st) among 3 natural floral patterns was 0.034 5, which was consistent with the result of AMOVA (Φ_st=0.056). It is suggested that higher degree of genetic varieties within natural floral pattern were the main source of genetic diversity in C. reticulate f. simplex, and close protective attention should be payed to individuals. The 3 natural floral patterns were divided into 2 groups by UPGMA analysis based on Nei’s genetic distances. Of which, one group was composed of simple floral pattern, and the other group was composed of semi-double floral pattern and double floral pattern. Furthermore, UPGMA clustering result showed that 90 individuals were divided into mainly 3 groups based on Nei’s genetic distances among individuals, and clearly separate the 3 natural types. This clustering result revealed that semi-double floral pattern was a transitional pattern between single floral pattern and double floral pattern, and the 3 natural floral patterns occupied their own unique genetic material basis. Therefore, it was scientific and reasonable that C. reticulate f. simplex was classified into 3 natural floral patterns.