title: Genetic structure and population diversity of eleven edible herbs of Eastern Crete.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present work aimed to investigate the genetic structure of 11 edible herbs grown in the wild of eastern Crete that are becoming vulnerable due to habitat destruction and unregulated harvesting. Thirty three populations (268 individuals) of Reichardia picroides, Scolymus hispanicus, Scandix pecten-veneris, Leontodon tuberosus, Cichorium spinosum, Sonchus asper ssp. glaucescens, Urospermum picroides, Prasium majus, Hypochoeris radicata, Centaurea raphanina ssp. raphanina and Anagallis arvensis were collected and identified from nine regions with distinct microclimate (Lassithi prefecture), and their genetic composition was studied by means of RAPD markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of ten primers per population were used to detect genetic diversity and bootstrap analysis was conducted for clustering the samples. High levels of heterogeneity were revealed while the Analysis of Molecular Variance documented that variance was allocated mainly within populations and at a lesser extent among populations. Fst values among regions were moderate to high, suggesting partial population fragmentation. Bayesian structure analysis revealed fine genetic composition and substantial admixture between species present in different regions, although clustering was mainly geographically related.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High altitude regions, with little residential and agricultural development (Kefala, Agrilos, Ziros and Tziritis), were the areas where high biodiversity was detected. On the other hand, coastal regions had lower biodiversity, probably due to degradation of their habitat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Science, Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos, Athens, Greece ; Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Technological Educational Institute of Crete, Crete, Tripitos, Sitia Greece.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Psaroudaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Science, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Athinon and Anexartisias 57, 3603 Limassol, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nikoloudakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Science, Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Skaracis
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Science, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Athinon and Anexartisias 57, 3603 Limassol, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katsiotis
keywords: AMOVA; Compositae; DNA amplification fingerprinting; Labiatae; Primulaceae; Umbelliferae