In citrus improvement programs the characterization of the available genetic resources is of great importance, mainly concerning biological characteristics of the culture, as the heterozigosity, nucellar the embriony and long reproductive cycle. Favored by nucellar embriony interespecific and intergeneric hybridizations and genotypes preservation happen easily. RAPDs markers were used to analyze 15 Citrus spp., four sweet orange (C. sinensis Osbeck), (C. medica, C. grandis e C. latifolia), four mandarins (C. reticulata Blanco, C. nobilis Loureiro, C. sunki Loureiro e C. deliciosa Tenore), a sour orange (C. aurantium L.), a grapefruit (C. paradisi Marcf.), a pummelo (C. grandis Osbeck), a cidra (C. medica L.), a lime (C. latifolia) and two hybrids (Citrus clementina T. x (C. tangerina T. x C. paradisi Macf.)). Genetic similarities of 15 Citrus genotypes obtained with twelve random primers, indicated a minimum similarity degree of 0.81 (simple matching) among the mandarins. Lower similarity degrees were obtained among less related Citrus species (C. medica, C. grandis e C. latifolia). The four varieties of sweet oranges (C. sinensis Osbeck) could not be differentiated by RAPD markers, showing maximum similarity.
Citrus; breeding; diversity
