Abstract
Isozyme markers were used to survey the genetic variability of non-bitter potatoes in 10 subsistence fields of Andean farmers at 3600-3850 m above sea level. Sixty-seven percent of the varieties were tetraploids corresponding to the speciesSolanum tuberosum ssp.andigena, 14% were triploids, probably corresponding to the speciesS. x chaucha, and 13% were diploids corresponding to the speciesS. stenotomum, S. phureja, andS. goniocalyx. The isozyme information served to determine the consistency of the folk naming system. We found a high degree of correspondence between farmer identification and electrophoretic phenotypes. The consistency of the folk system in electrophoretic terms depended on the farmer who was interviewed. The most common incongruity consisted of calling different electrophoretic phenotypes by the same variety name, leading to a slight underestimation of genetic variability present in the fields. The amount of variability observed in the sample of the Andean potato population was superior to that present in North American and European varieties. This was measured in terms of number ofalleles, number of electrophoretic phenotypes and percent of heterozygosity. This finding supports the impression that a substantial amount of yet unexploited variability remains in Andean potato populations.
Resumen
En este trabajo se da a conocer los resultados de un estudio genético sobre variedades de papa dulce en los Andes, realizada por medio de marcadores isoenzimáticos en parcelas de subsistencia localizados entre 3600 y 3850 metros sobre el nivel del mar. Se encontró que 67% de las variedades muestreadas eran tetraploides de la especie S. tuberosum ssp. andigena, 14% triploides probablemente de la especie S. x chaucha, y 13% diploides de las especiesS. stenotomum, S. phureja andS. goniocalyx. La información isoenzimática fue útil en la evaluatión de la precisión del sistema folklorico para identificar variedades. Se encontró un alto grado de asociación entre el sistema de clasificación usado por el campesino para denominar sus variedades, y los fenotipos electroforéticos. La precisión del sistema de identidad folklorico en tℰminos electroforéticos dependió del campesino entrevistado. La discrepancia mas frecuente entre los dos sistemas de nomenclatura consistió en llamar diferentes fenotipos electroforéticos con el mismo nombre varietal, lo que resultó en una subestimación de la variabilidad genética presente en los campos. El nivel de variabilidad observado en la muestra de papas de la población andina fue superior al observado en variedades nortea-mericanas y europeas. La variabilidad se midió en base al número de alelos, número de fenotipos electroforéticos y porcentaje de heterocigosidad. Estos resultados están de acuerdo con la impresión general de que todavía existe mucha variabilidad en variedades de papa andinas que no ha sido aún explotada.
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Quiros, C.F., Brush, S.B., Douches, D.S. et al. Biochemical and folk assessment of variability of andean cultivated potatoes. Econ Bot 44, 254–266 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02860490
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02860490