Isoenzyme variation in the wild relatives of Vicia faba (Fabaceae)

Electrophoretic analysis of five enzyme systems, LAP, PGI, SKDH, SOD and 6-PGDH, among 102 Vicia accessions representing V. bithynica and seven species of the V. narbonensis complex, namely V. eristalioides, V. kalakhensis, V. johannis, V. galilaea, V. serratifolia, V. narbonensis and V. hyaeniscyamus, has been performed. The recorded variation was tentatively assigned to 41 allelic genes at eight loci; intraspecific variation was observed in all species except for V. eristalioides. The results obtained were compared with the corresponding data reported earlier for V. faba. Hierarchical grouping of the investigated taxa, including V. faba, was based on NEI's genetic identities calculated from the allozyme frequency data. Vicia faba and V. bithynica were shown to be most distantly related to one another and to the remaining species investigated. Vicia serratifolia appeared to be a peripheral member of the V. narbonensis complex. The results are discussed with reference to genetic diversity and taxonomic relationships of the species under study.