Isozyme variation in five species of Passiflora subgenus Tacsonia and P. manicata

Isozyme variation was studied in 330 cultivated and wild accessions of banana passion fruit (#P. mollissima#),'curuba india,' (P. sp.), another cultivated type, and related species, #P. mixta#, 'rosy passion fruit' (#P. cumbalensis#), #P. pinnatistipula#, as well as #P. manicata#, from the Andes of Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. Six polymorphic enzyme systems (IDH, 6-PGDH, PGM, DIA, PRX, and ACP) revealed 54 zymotypes characterized by the presence or absence of 26 electromorphs. Polymorphism was much higher in the wild species as compared with the cultivated material. Cluster analysis allowed separation of the accessions into eight main groups, three of which correspond to particular types or species: 'curuba india,' #P. cumbalensis#, and #P. pinnatistipula#. Another homogenous group was formed by cultivated material of #P. mollissima#. Two groups were constituted by a mixture of #P. mollissima# and #P. mixta#, including intermediate phenotypes, one dominated by material of Colombian origin, and the other by material of Ecuadorian origin. #P manicata# formed a uniform group, except for two individuals that contributed to a small group with one #P. mollissima# plant. A greater distance appeared between the main #P. manicata# group and #P. pinnatistipula# on one hand and the other groups on the other hand. These results suggest a closer relation between #P. mollissima# and #P. mixta# than suggested by current taxonomical classification.