本研究共選取台灣原生杜鵑屬(Rhododendron spp.)11個種,含不同來源地共23個樣品。利用RAPD(random amplified polymorphic DNA)分析方法,旨在藉以評估11個種間之遺傳距離,經由60個引子中篩選七個具多型性且再現性良好之6個引子,計獲得18個多型性DNA片段,可作為金毛杜鵑(R. oldhami)、馬銀花(R. ovatum)、紅毛杜鵑(R. rubropliosum)、南湖杜鵑(R. hyperthrum)、西施花(R. ellipticum)、南澳杜鵑(R. breivperulatum)以及守城滿山紅(R. mariesii)等七個“種”鑑別之專屬標誌條帶。而綜合6個引子之RAPD分析產物,經UPGMA集群分析之樹狀圖可分成4個亞集群,結果大致與第二版台灣植物誌採用之杜鵑屬分類接近,其中來自不同地區的金毛杜鵑(6個樣品),明顯有同“種”聚集一起之趨勢,其遺傳距離最相近。綜合而言,RAPD分析應可作為台灣原生杜鵑遺傳距離分析的有效方法之一。
A total of 23 accessions including 11 species of Rhododendron native in Taiwan which were collected from different areas, were evaluated by using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker. Objectives were to evaluate genetic distance within those 11 species. Screening from sixty primers and eighteen unique DNA fragments were derived from 7 polymorphic primers. They can be used to distinguish the 7 species from the total 11 species, such as R. oldhamii, R. rubropilosum, R. ovatum, R. hyperthrum, R. ellipticum, R. breviperulatum, and R. mariesii. A dendrogram generated by UPGMA (Unweighted Pair-Group Mean Arithmetic) cluster analysis is closed relationship with the taxonomic classification of ”Flora of Taiwan”. Four sub-groups can be clustered by RAPD results. The results also show the varieties in the 'R. oldhami' were clustered into the same subgroup. In brief, that the RAPD markers is an effectively and reliably method for analysis of the genetic distance of Rhododendron native in Taiwan.