RFLP analysis of Hypericum perforatum L. somaclones and their progenies

Three adjacent EcoRI fragments of the rDNA unit from Lycopersicon esculentum, eleven anonymous genomic and two anonymous cDNA clones from Brassica napus and three restriction endonucleases: BamHI, EcoRI and EcoRV were used for RFLP analysis of the genome of Hypericum perforatum L. A polymorphic band identified with EcoRI and two rDNA probes in five somaclones originated from the same genotype was detected in all progenies of two somaclones indicating the inheritance of the molecular changes. rDNA unit heterogeneity represented by two types of RFLP pattern revealed among somaclones and seed-derived control plants using EcoRV and two rDNA probes may indicate an alloploid origin of Hypericum perforatum. The occurrence of the identical RFLP patterns in some R0 somaclones and seed-derived plants and their progenies may be related to the apomictic mode of reproduction which is assumed to be prevalent in Hypericum perforatum. The differences in RFLP patterns of progenies when compared with the maternal plants (1 out of 10 progenies of one control plant and 1 out of 8 progenies of one somaclone) may indicate that some progenies have originated through sexual recombination.