Genetic structure of European accessions of Solanum dulcamara L. (Solanaceae)

Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet) is one of the few native species of Solanum present in Europe. It is a common weed that occupies a wide range of habitats and is often found in the direct vicinity of cultivated potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), where it could transmit diseases. A broad sampling of European S. dulcamara accessions was carried out to gain insight into the population structure and crossing preferences of this species. Three amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP(A (R))) primer combinations generating 288 polymorphic fragments were used to analyze 79 bittersweet accessions (245 individuals). Dendrograms revealed a low level of genetic polymorphism in the bittersweet populations, caused partially by the out-crossing nature of this species.