We used RAPDs (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs) to investigate genetic diversity and its partition within and between three populations of Iris aphylla in Poland. Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) of 84 distinct RAPD multiband genotypes revealed higher variation within populations (77.2%) than genetic differentiation between them (22.8%, P < 0.002). Values of genetic diversity indices (H) were similar in all three sites (0.21–0.24). The differentiation of the populations corresponded to low average gene flow (Nm = 0.81). Our results indicated that genetic diversity was independent of population size. We concluded that although sexual reproduction and gene flow between populations of I. aphylla were very limited, they preserved high levels of genetic diversity. Relatively large number of seeds, which migrated in the past to populations, as well as patterns of reproduction and life history of I. aphylla may explain this situation. © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2003, 142, 65–72.

In Poland oat breeding began at the late nineteenth century. During the World War II almost all of Polish breeding materials were lost, and then were replaced by German cultivars. The main aim of this paper was to show the level of genetic diversity of Polish oat cultivars which were bred before 1939. Simultaneously usefulness and informativeness of molecular and morphological methods were tested and compared. This study involved 23 cultivars, which were described by 25 morphological traits and three types of molecular markers (AFLP, ISSR and RAPD). Based on Dice coefficient, genetic distance between cultivars ranged from 0.17 to 0.44. The degree of morphological differentiation within the collection varied depending on trait. Nei's genetic diversity for the combined results for the whole collection was equal to 0.202. Neither unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean nor principal coordinate analysis showed any discrimination of cultivars according to breeding period and morphological trait. Part of morphological diversity has been preserved in the Polish early oat cultivars, do not exist anymore in contemporary cultivars, and also in landraces. The interest of breeders in early cultivars germplasm stored in genebank was and still is negligible. Breeding is confined to a few preferred by market morphotypes. So, it is very probable that the gene pools of early and contemporary cultivars could be separable.

Runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.) is traditionally cultivated in Poland for dry seeds. The national collection of runner bean maintained in the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources gathers 152 accessions, which are mainly landraces originated in Poland (68%), Ukraine (17%) and Slovakia (10%). The collection contains valuable genetic resources for bean breeders and research. The aim of this study was to describe the level and structure of genetic diversity of three landraces and two commercial cultivars of runner bean from the national collection in order to assess their genetic potential for breeding. Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis included five combinations of selective primers. Analysis of seven genetic diversity parameters reveled fair amount of genetic variation both in landraces and cultivars. High genetic diversity of commercial cultivars relative those of landraces suggests that the breeding process leading to their release was rather moderate and most likely included domestic gene pool of runner bean. Low gene diversity and low Nei's genetic distance values as well as intergradations among accessions in the PCoA may indicate reduced variability P. coccineus grown in Poland as a result of its migration pathways.

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Here we focused on Polish oat landraces developed in the moderate temperature zone attempting to understand their genetic and phenotypic variability in context of the pressure of environmental constrains at the locations where they had evolved. Besides molecular markers and diverse phenotypic traits the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, enabling throughput metabolic fingerprinting, was used for the description of the germplasm collection. We used sophisticated multivariable analysis to integrate the data for structure analysis and to establish mutual relationships. We found that the accessions diversity across the eco-geographical variables was manifested differently depending on selected phenotypic, genetic, and metabolic criteria.Grain metabolic fingerprint derived from FTIR spectroscopy revealed the highest degree of germplasm diversity among all of the examined traits, particularly for spectral bands assigned to lipids. The landraces, which were collected in close geographical proximity, showed clear morphological and metabolic resemblances, although they represented quite different genetic backgrounds. All three levels of analysis showed the presence of selection resulting from environmental pressures and more specifically from the temperature at the landrace origin site. This research also proved that coupling of genetic polymorphism with the FTIR fingerprinting markedly extended the description of the oat landraces diversity.