Assessment of genetic variation in artichoke of "Romanesco" type by molecular markers

Thirty genotypes of Artichoke landraces of "Romanesco" type have been collected from each of three farms located in Latina province (south of Rome), in order to assess the genetic variation existing between and within each population.The molecular markers utilized, AFLPs and ISSRs, revealed the presence of a great amount of variation within population.Difference between the two types of markers is discussed as well as the strategy for artichoke germplasm conservation and genetic distance between the analysed populations.