This research intended to characterize the genetic diversity of citrus rootstocks from the Experimental Agronomic Station of the Rio Grande do Sul Federal University (EEA/UFRGS) and rootstocks collected in nurseries of the Cai River Valley - Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil. The method used was the Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Leaves of nine citrus rootstocks from EEA/UFRGS and ten accesses of trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) from different nurseries were collected. With the use of nine random primers it was possible to separate the rootstocks in two main groups: one formed by ‘Rangpur’ lime (Citrus limonia) and the other by trifoliate orange and its hybrids of low genetic similarity. RAPD molecular marker was very efficient for the citrus rootstock characterization and for the trifoliate orange separation from its hybrids. The technique might be used to characterize cultivars, analysis of genetic variability among progenitors in improvement breeding programs of rootstock , and identify zygotic seedlings of trifoliate orange in commercial nurseries.
citrus; Poncirus trifoliata; Citrus limonia
