Genetic characterization of Indian Mucuna (Leguminoceae) species using morphometric and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) approaches

Abstract

Genetic characterization of 35 Mucuna accessions belonging to five species was carried out using morphometric and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) approaches. Forty-four out of the 50 primers screened for RAPD analysis generated 412 highly reproducible polymorphic bands. A dendrogram based on unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA) clustering algorithm grouped 33 out of 35 accessions into three distinct clusters mainly based on taxonomic affiliations. Genetic similarity coefficients calculated from RAPD data ranged from 0.146 to 0.970, with the highest value of 0.970 between IC392241 and IC385926 and the lowest value of 0.146 between accessions 500108KA and 500104KL. The cophenetic correlation coefficient (r) was 0.98, indicative of a very good fit between the data matrix and the resulting cluster analysis. The principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) clustering pattern corresponded well with the dendrogram. The results of molecular analysis agree by and large with those obtained from the morphometric data.

Keywords:

• Fabaceae
• genetic characterization
• phenetic relationship
• GMCC
• taxonomy
• velvetbean

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India and Kirkhouse Trust, UK for the financial support and Sri Krishnadevaraya Educational Trust (Sri KET), Bangalore, India for facilities.