Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

RAPD fingerprints were obtained for nine New Zealand kūmara cultivars including 3 identified as pre-European, two modern, and 4 reputedly derived from 19th century introductions. The cultivars derived from the 19th century introduction clustered in one group, a group which also included one modern cultivar. Two ancient cultivars were closely related to each other (Rekemāroa and Hutihuti), but distant from the other ancient cultivar (Taputini) and the other groups, a result which is consistent with two separate, possibly pre-European lines. The modern varieties were all in the Waīna group.