DNA fingerprints of three different forms of the red palm weevil collected from egyptian date palm orchards: DNA-fingerprints von zwei morphologischen formen von rhynchophorus ferrugineus oliv. an agyptischen dattelpalmen

Three morphologically different forms of the red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Oliv.) were collected from infected date palm fields. The morphological variations detected among different forms included the spotting patterns of black spots on thorax. DNA fingerprinting based on randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was performed. Nine random primers, which gave sufficient amplification products with weevil genome as well as reproducible patterns and sufficient polymophisms, were preselected. Analysis of generated PCR amplification products indicated clearly that three different RAPD patterns peculiar for the three different forms of weevil were produced. These characteristic fingerprints were reproducible for each primer. Two red palm weevil forms, given the numbers 2 and 3, share the majority of RAPD amplification products, meanwhile the form number 1 seems to be genetically far from the two other forms. It could be concluded that the major genetic variations detected herein among the three forms of the red palm weevil may be either due to the generation of new mutant from the weevil or the three forms may be belong to different new varieties. Although the obtained genetic variations are reproducible and stable, even when different random primers were used, it is still early to confirm any of the hypotheses mentioned above and further studies are needed. © 2002, Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.