Characterization of peach cultivars (Prunus persica (L) Batsh) was made by description of agronomical and morphological characters codified from international organizations, which are strongly affected by environmental conditions. Alternative methods of characterization have been searched, and isoenzymes have been used as independent of environmental conditions in addition to identify some individuals in early stages of development. The goal of this study is the peach cultivars characterization by isoenzymatic analysis of catecol oxidases, acid phosphatases, esterases and peroxidases within the leaf extracts. The peach cultivars analyzed have showed low isoenzymatic polymorphism. Ten cultivars were characterized by esterases while one cultivar by catecol oxidases. The remainder cultivars were grouped into five models. The acid phosphatases have characterized two cultivars; the remainder was grouped into seven models. The peroxidases formed three groups. This behavior can be explained since the peach is an autogamus species and it shows a very reduced genetic basis. The evident and discriminant restrictions of this type of analysis have got results that have been only a complementary form for the methods of agronomical and morphological characters.
peach; isoenzyme; cultivars; chemiotaxonomy
