Genetic Relationships and Characterization of Persian Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Cultivars Using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs)

RFLP markers were used to investigate genetic diversity among California walnut ( Juglans regia ) cultivars and germplasm collected worldwide. Sixteen of 21 RFLP markers were polymorphic in the 48 walnut accessions tested. RFLP markers were useful for identifying walnut cultivars. All genotypes were heterozygous at ≈20% of the loci for both California and worldwide germplasm. California walnut germplasm contained 60% of the worldwide allelic diversity. Cluster analysis of genetic distance between accessions and principal component analysis of allelic genotypes showed two major groups of walnut domestication. California germplasm was associated with germplasm from France, central Europe, and Iran and had less genotypic similarity with germplasm from Nepal, China, Korea, and Japan.