Detection of natural genetic diversity of Gaultheria fragrantissima landraces by RAPDs: An endangered woody oil bearing plant of Indo-China Himalayas

摘要

Indian winter green (Gaultheria fragrantissima) (Erieaceae) is an endangered aromatic plant containing highest amount of methyl salicylate among the plant kingdom. Earlier, wide ranging oil bearing capabilities of the populations of G. fragrantissima were identified by us. Therefore, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used to fingerprint 23 genotypes of eastern Himalayas. A high degree of polymorphism was detected with 5 informative primers namely, OPE-03, OPE-04, OPE-7, OPE-18 and OPE-20. Among these, OPE-3 produced the highest (87.5%) while OPE-07 produced the lowest (53.85%) degree of polymorphism. While the extent of total variability was recorded to be 68.52%, the inter- and intra-population variability was found to be 53% and 46%, respectively. A resemblance matrix was developed, using Simple Matching Coefficient, to compute cluster analysis. It was concluded that the RAPD markers detected a sufficient degree of polymorphism to differentiate among the Gaultheria genotypes, which will be useful for conservation of this endangered plant species.