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

Non-specific esterases, Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase and Leucine-aminopeptidase isoenzymes were extracted from fifteen date palm cultivars in The Al-Ahsa oasis in Saudi Arabia, and subjected to analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The results revealed differences in the degree of similarity between the cultivars from 0.147 to 0.552, estimated according to Jaccard's Similarity method on the basis of presence and absence of EST and GOT isoenzymes bands collectively. Grr, Hel and Shl cultivars were closely related within a mini-cluster with degrees of similarity from 0.400 to 0.519. Ruz and Ows cultivars were closely related to each other with 0.552 degree of similarity. Tyr, Om R and Asi cultivars were closely related within a sub-cluster with degrees of similarity from 0.357 to 0.440. Mj and Khs cultivars were closely related to each other with 0.500 degree of similarity. It could be concluded that the isoenzymes are informative and helpful in the discrimination between the cultivars, as well as the results support the conclusion that most of the The Al-Ahsa oasis date palm cultivars referred to one genetic origin.