RAPD-PCR analysis of cultured type olives in Turkey

The aim of this study was to detect genetic similarities and distances among cultured type olive trees by RAPD-PCR technique. Olives are raised in a high range from the Aegean, Mediterranean, Marmara and Black Sea to Southeast Anatolia regions of Turkey. Olive breeding had a rapid increase in Turkey during recent years, among the agricultural products. Finding the genetic relationships between cultured type olives may help to improve genetic resources and our knowledge of their evolutionary background and to determine genetic relationships with wild type relatives. In this study, samples were obtained from the Olive Production Research Institute (Manzanilla, Domat, Gemlik and Memecik) and sapling producers in Manisa, Akhisar (Uslu, Edremit). Genomic DNA's were extracted from young leaves and PCR was used generate RAPD bands. Sixty random primers obtained from Operon Tech. were tested by RAPD-PCR (OP-A, OP-I, OP-Q). A total of 36 primers among 60 Operon random primers ( Kit OP-A, OP-I, OP-Q) yielded clear and firm bands. The electrophoretic patterns of olive samples showed that 291 highly polymorphic loci. Averages of 8.08 scorable bands per primer were determined from RAPD-PCR analysis.