Phylogenetic study and analysis of similarities for different datepalm cultivars using electrophoretic isoenzymes

A phylogenetic study of date palm cultivars in Al-Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia, reveals that most cultivars share a common genetic origin. Using electrophoretic analysis of isoenzymes—non-specific esterases, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), and leucine-aminopeptidase—researchers identified varying degrees of similarity among 15 cultivars, ranging from 0.147 to 0.552. Key clusters emerged, such as Grr, Hel, and Shl, which exhibited high similarity (0.400–0.519), while Ruz and Ows showed the highest similarity at 0.552. The findings suggest that isoenzymes are effective markers for distinguishing cultivars, supporting the hypothesis of a shared genetic lineage in Al-Ahsa's date palms.

Alissa, A. M. (2016). Phylogenetic study and analysis of similarities for different datepalm cultivars using electrophoretic isoenzymes. Indian Journal of Agricultural Research, (OF). https://doi.org/10.18805/ijare.v0iof.10279