Genetic Diversity Analysis in Five Medicinal Plants of Solanaceae Family Using RAPD Markers (Research Article)

Author(s): *Ravindra Singh, Mahendra Pal Singh and **Sadhana Chaurasia

Abstract: An understanding of the extent, composition and patterns of genetic differences is helpful for estimating possible genetic diversity loss and assessing genetic variability and its prospective use in improvement programs. This study assessed patterns of genetic diversity and relationships in five medicinal plants of Solanaceae family using RAPD markers. In this analysis, 8 primers were tested, and 6 of them showed polymorphic amplification. From 6 primers (OPA1, OPA2, OPA6, OPB5, OPB7 and OPB9), a total of 32 bands were generated, in which all were polymorphic with 100% polymorphism. The number of RAPD bands generated per primer ranged from 2 (OPB 5) to 10 (OPA1) with an average of 5.34. The DNA fragments with different molecular weights were amplified and band size ranged from 72 to 3601 bp. The similarity coefficient, which was determined using the presence and absence of bands, ranged from 0.36 to 0.72. Similarity index reveals the maximum similarity between Solanum xanthocarpum with Datura stramonium and Solanum nigrum with Withania somnifera (similarity indices 0.72 and 0.70 respectively). While distantly related species were Withania somnifera and Capsicum annuum with similarity coefficient value of 0.36. The present findings conclude that RAPD technique is a promising method for assessing genetic variability in some medicinal plants of Solanaceae family.

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