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The winter annuals Brassica tournefortii and Raphanus raphanistrum (Brassicaceae) share similar habitats and life-history traits, but differ in their reproduction system (self-compatibility vs. self-incompatibility, respectively). The two phylogenetically close species offer means to assess the effect of reproductive biology on genetic diversity between and within populations. In general, genetic diversity between populations of B. tournefortii was higher than that found between populations of R. raphanistrum , while higher genetic diversity indices were evident within populations of R. raphanistrum. In addition, the results of pairwise genetic distances indicated that the genetic distances between populations can be associated to the species' reproductive biology and not to the population's distribution pattern. We discuss whether knowledge of reproductive and habitat characteristics can be used to predict genetic diversity when planning sampling scheme for ex situ conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immature seeds were cultured on 10 different media for germination. Maximum germination was achieved on Lindeman orchid medium (37.12%) within 17 days of culturing. Protocorms with leaf primordia were cultured on BM-2 and 7 different modifications of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with various hormone combinations [0-3 mg/L indole butyric acid (IBA) and 0-3 mg/L kinetin (Kin)] for plantlet regeneration and mass multiplication. Maximum number of shoots (18.12 ± 0.3), highest shoot length (17.80 cm ± 2.16), maximum root number (8.25 ± 0.69), and highest root length (8.02 cm ± 1.45) were found on MS medium with 3 mg/L IBA and 1 mg/L Kin. Plantlets with 2-3 shoots were transferred to different potting mixtures for acclimatization to field conditions and further multiplication. One hundred percent survival was obtained in C-8 potting mixture consisting of cocopeat + vermiculite + perlite (1:1:1), which produced 75 shoots (25 plantlets) after 1 month of transplantation in the greenhouse. The current study describes for the first time a rapid in vitro protocorm development and mass multiplication protocol for Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D.Don) Soo that holds robust potential for large-scale propagation and metabolite production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]