RAPD analysis of the genetic diversity among accessions of Fabaceous forages (Poincianella spp) from the Caatinga.

Among members of the Fabaceae family, native to the Brazilian Caatinga, the species Poincianella pyramidalis and P. bracteosa exhibit particular potential as forage for cattle, sheep and goats. With the aim of establishing genetic relationships within Poincianella, random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis was performed on eight accessions of P. pyramidalis and two accessions of P. bracteosa, originating from the semiarid zone of the state of Piauí, northeastern Brazil, and present in the germplasm bank of Embrapa Meio Norte (Teresina, Piauí, Brazil)