Accesses of Eichhornia crassipes (waterhyacinth) were collected in hydroelectric reservoirs from fifteen power plants: Barra Bonita, Bariri, Três Irmãos, Ilha Solteira, Salto Grande, Promissão, Ibitinga, Nova Avanhandava, Mogi-Guaçú, Euclides da Cunha, Jaguari, Jurumirim, Jupiá, Paraibuna and Porto Primavera in the state of São Paulo. The genetic variability of these accesses was studied by RAPD, and the primers used were OP X02, OP X07, OP X11, OP P10. Among the accesses collected and analyzed, 21 presented an index of genetic identity above 0.90. The dendrogram generated by the data between populations was correlated with the geographic distribution of waterhyacinth plant reservoirs. Although waterhyacinth dispersion is via vegetative propagation a high genetic variability among the collected accesses was observed.
aquatic plant; DNA; Eichhornia crassipes; weeds; dispersion
