Resumo

FLORES-HERNANDEZ, Arnoldo et al. Isoenzyme characterization of nopal cultivars (Opuntia spp.). Ecosistemas y recur. agropecuarios [online]. 2016, vol.3, n.7, pp.75-89. ISSN 2007-901X.

Taxonomic classification problems are frequent in the case of nopal (Opuntia spp.), as well as for many other genera; this complicates the accurate identification of cultivars. This study was done with the objective of detecting polymorphism in nine nopal cultivars of the 0. amyclaea Ten. (0. albicarpa), 0. megacantha, 0. crassa and 0. ficus-indica (L.) Mill, species located in the germplasm reserve of the Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Aridas of the Universidad Autonoma Chapingo. The soluble protein of the roots was separated through electrophoresis to evaluate the presence of nine enzyme systems. Among these, phosphoglucomutase (PGM), 6- phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGD), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) showed a sufficient reaction for the identification of bands of enzymatic activity. The malic enzymes (ME) and aconitase (ACO) did not present polymorphism; they are therefore not recommended for the classification of nopal cultivars. In contrast, PGM, 6-PGD, GOT and MDH presented differences or undetermined polymorphism in their band pattern; they are therefore considered relevant for the taxonomic identification and evaluation of the genetic variability of nopal.

Palavras-chave : Enzymes; molecular markers; taxonomy; variability.