Abstract:
Genetic diversity of seventeen germplasm accessions and three improved cultivars
was detenn ined by RAPO analysis. Twenty Operon primers selected from 100
primers were used and these primers amplified coconut DNA generating 129
amplification products averaging 6.5 bands per primer. Among them 84 (65.12%)
exhibited polymorphoisms averaging 4.2 polymorphic bands per primer. The Nei
and Li pair-wise genetic distance matrix revealed genetic base in the coconut in Sri
Lanka with distances ranging from 0.036 - 0.252 with an average distance of 0.145.
The 20 coconut types assayed clustered into two groups. The first included all dwarf
forms. aurantiaca form King coconut. and San Ramon. The other comprised typica
forms and the three improved cultivars .San Ramon grouped with dwarf types
exhibiting its evolutionary link with dwarfs as Philippine coconuts. King coconut
too indicated a South East Asian Origin similar to dwarfs. As expected improved
cultivars grouped with tall types as all these cultivars have a tall as one parent.
