Abstract:
The genetic diversity of spontaneous populations of Medicago and Trifolium genera was
analyzed using various morphological, biochemical and molecular approaches. This study is based on a large sampling of populations in a wide range of bioclimatic regions in northern Algeria. Combination of studied markers (biometric characters, isoenzymes, albumins, globulins, seed physical properties and microsatellites) showed an important polymorphism at intra- and interspecific levels in both genera. No significant relationship between the environment of the collection site and morphological features was detected. A considerable number of species-specific bands were detected which can be used for the species identification.
Both species Medicago polymorpha and Trifolium campestre were characterized by greater
intraspecific genetic diversity whatever the marker. Species classification based on different approaches showed some consistencies and contradictions with conventional data based on morphological criteria. Both albumin and globulin fractions were characterized by a significant correlation between them. However, a lack of association was registered with distance matrices generated by the other markers. The detection of morphological, biochemical and molecular markers is of high interest in the perspective of selecting adapted genotypes and for conservation biodiversity.
