J Syst Evol ›› 1993, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (4): 329-352.

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Studies on Taxonomy and Evolution of Citrus and Its Related Genera by Isozyme Analysis

Fang De-qiu, Zhang Wen-cai, Xiao Shun-Yuan   

  • Published:1993-07-18

Abstract: The leaf or bark tissue extracts of 108 biotypes of Citrus and its five related genera were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for isozymes of peroxidase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, phosphoglucose isomerase, phosphoglucose mutase, superoxide dismutase, tetrazolium oxidase, NADP+- dependent malate dehydrogenase and esterase. The inter-or intra-generic differences of isozymograms were compared. Dissimilarities of the isozyme patterns among the samples were calculated by computer based on the UPGMA method to demonstrate the phylogenetic relationship of the biotypes. There are remarkable isozymogramatic differences among the six genera. Generally speaking, each genus possesses its own unique bands. Based on the cluster analysis, the total Citrus biotypes are classified into seven groups, i.e. Honghe papeda, Mauritius papeda, Pummelo, Ichang papeda, Citron, Lemon-lime and Mandarin-orange. Ichang papeda is suggested to be the third subgenus of the genus Citrus. The Fuming trifoliata orange is accepted as a new species of Poncirus-P. polyandra S. Q. Ding. It might be the evolutionary bridge between Poncirus and Citrus, and one of the “missing links” as suggested by W. T. Swingle. Microacrumen (small- fruited mandarin) is the primitive form of the mandarins. It seems better to consid er“ Horse-nose mandarin ”or “Xipigoushigan mandarin” as the typic mandarin originated in China. Euacrumen (large-fruited mandarin) might have arised through two ways. One is hybridization of Microacrumen and C. sinensis, and the other is just the variation of Microacrumen. Ancestors of some biotypes are inferred based on isozyme data. Fortunella obovata Tan. may be a hybrid of Fortunella and Citrus. C. unshiu Marc. arose from the nucellar mutation of“Huangyanbendiguangju mandarin”( C. nobilis Lour.) in Huangyan of Zhejiang Province. C. junos Sieb. came from hybridization of Ichang papeda and mandarin. C. grandis Osbeck and mandarin may have been involved in the origin of C. aurantium L.. C. limonia Osbeck may be a hybrid between C. medica L. and mandarin. The evolutionary trend of citrus fruit trees is proposed, anda tentative phylogenetic diagram is drawn.

Key words: Citrus, Isozymes, Taxonomy, Phylogeny, Cluster analysis