Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
The genetic structure of six rye (Secale cereale L.) cultivars bred as forage cultivars was investigated by means of nine isozyme loci. The isozyme systemselectrophoretically studied were glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase; phosphoglucose mutase; phosphoglucose isomerase; acid phosphatase; malic dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. Alleles present and their frequencies were very similar in all cultivars; thus genetic distances between cultivars ranged from 0·000 to 0·005. Likewise, a general excess of homozygotic plants compared with the expected number was observed in cultivars. The genetic structure of these populations is closely similar to other rye cultivars, bred for grain production, which were previously analysed.