Article

Using enzyme polymorphism at 10 loci, genetic variation was analysed in both wild and cultivated olive growing around the Mediterranean Basin. Twenty five and 21 alleles were observed in the 333 wild olive trees analysed and in the cultived material (418 trees) respectively. Twenty one of these alleles were common to the two forms. In addition, in most the situations of sympatry between wild and cultivated olive, the two forms possessed the same alleles which differed from one area to the other, suggesting the occurrence of close genetic relationships between these two partners of the same species.