Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) have been used to detect chloroplast (cp) and mitochondrial (mt) DNA variation among 18 apple cultivars and three rootstocks. The distribution of RFLP patterns allowed the assignment of these genotypes into three groups of cytoplasmic relatedness. Our results also demonstrate maternal inheritance of cp- and mtDNAs in apple. Thus, the organelle DNA assay provides a convenient and reliable method to assess cytoplasmic diversity within the apple germ-plasm collection and to trace the maternal lineages involved in the evolution of apple.
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