Evaluation of Gene Ecological Variations Among Some Cyperus Species In Egypt

Abstract

This study has been conducted in order to evaluate useful genetic variability among different populations of six species of Cyperus in Egypt in the light of the prevailing ecological conditions. The _evaluation was based on evidences derived from the morphological features as well as electrophoresis of seed proteins using SDS-PAGE and isozymes polymorphism of four enzymes.

The results demonstrate clearly that, there was a significant differences in the most of the quantitative morphological characters between populations in the six species.

The results of soil analyses indicated that C. laevigatus soils are characterized by higher contents of CaC03, higher pH and EC values (Salinity), C. digitatus soils, by N & Fe contents and C. difformis soils by higher clay, organic matter and Ca'" contents. Higher pH values were found in the soils of C. rotundus and C. alopecuroides.

From the correlation coefficients calculated for all pairs of quantitative morphological and soil characters for each species, there were significant correlations between some morphological and soil characters. This information suggest that most of morphological variations are adjustments to habitat conditions.

The results obtained from the electrophoretic separation of seed proteins indicate that seed proteins from different locations of the species have the same major bands. Although it was noted that accessions of the same species have differences in the banding pattern.