XVI International Botanical Congess

Systematic of the genus Iris is very intricate. There has been no universally adopted classification of the species of Iris. We have attempted to evaluate systematic relationships of Siberian Iris species based on RAPD analysis and pollen analysis. This study is the first molecular investigation of Siberian species of Iris. A total of 19 accessions belonging to four genera were studied. PCR was performed with four arbitrary primers and 56 scorable well-marked bands were identified. We found an intraspecific polymorphism so RAPD technique can be used to differentiate populations studied. RAPD patterns of three pairs allies species studied had clear well reproducible differences allowing to identified these species. For more detailed analysis of genetic distances within Iris species a dendrogram displaying genetic relationships among the accessions was constructed. The dendrogram in general coincides with the classification proposed by Rodionenko (Rodionemko, G.I., Rod (Genus) Iris, 1961, Leningrad, in Russian) but some exceptions. Pollen study allowed drawing the conclusions about evolution of Iris species.