Estudou-se, mediante polimorfismo enzimático em gel de poliacrilamida e polimorfismo de DNA com base na amplificação de segmentos de DNA ao acaso, denominado RAPD, a variabilidade genética em algumas espécies e ecótipos de palmeiras dos gêneros Euterpe, Bactris, Elaeis e Syagrus. Os extratos de folhas de mudas dessas palmeiras foram analisados para as isoenzimas de malato desidrogenase (MDH), leucinoaminopeptidase (LAP), glutamato oxaloacetato transaminase (GOT), fosfoglucose isomerase (PGI), fosfoglucose mutase (PGM), fosfatase ácida (ACP), peroxidase (PRX), esterase (EST) e para os marcadores RAPD, utilizando os "primers" dos kits A e B da Operon Technologies. Verificou-se grande variabilidade genética interespecífica, comprovada pelos dendrogramas UPGMA, com reconhecimento de híbridos. Foram observadas várias bandas além das referidas pela literatura em gel de amido. Os resultados dos marcadores RAPD comprovaram os das isoenzimas com maior eficácia, pois possibilitaram facilmente a análise de grande número de marcadores genéticos.

Genetic diversity of palms was studied by means of enzymatic polymorphism using polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis and a DNA polymorphism assay based on the amplification of random DNA segments, denominated RAPD. Species and ecotypes from genus Euterpe, Bactris, Elaeis and Syagrus were utilized. Palm leaf extracts were utilized for isozymes of malate dehydrogenase (MDH), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI), phosphoglucose mutase (PGM), acid phosphatase (ACP), peroxidase (PRX), esterase (EST), and the RAPD markers technique, using the A and B kits from Operon Technologies. Interespecific differences were observed, as well as distinctive patterns for palm hybrids. Some bands were observed in addition to those cited in the literature where starch gel electrophoresis was used for enzymatic polymorphism. The conclusions with regard to polymorphic patterns obtained using the RAPD technique confirmed those observed with isozymes, with the advantages of its greater efficiency and ability to process a large number of samples.