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Establishing Taxonomic Identity and Selecting Genetically Diverse Populations for Conservation of Threatened Plants Using Molecular Markers


Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793 022, India
2 Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar 751 003, India
3 Trans-Disciplinary University, Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, 74/2, Jarakabanade Kaval, Attur PO, Yelahanka, Bengaluru 560 106, India
4 Division of Plant Genetic Resources, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bengaluru 560 089, India
5 Department of Botany, Biodiversity Conservation Division, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur 515 003, India
6 CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow 226 001, India
 

The extent of genetic diversity within a species is an important determinant of successful adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. Assessment of extent of genetic diversity/variability is also important to monitor genetic erosion within a species. In threatened plant species, genetic diversity assessment helps in selection of genetically diverse populations to enrich the genetically impoverished populations, thus minimizing the probability of genetic drift. Confirming taxonomic identity of threatened species, particularly those belonging to species complexes with dispute identity, is another essential task in the conservation of threatened species, which is best resolved through molecular approaches. The present study estimated the genetic variability within and among the populations of four threatened species, viz. Justicia beddomei (C.B. Clarke) Bennet (Acanthaceae), Embelia ribes Burm. f. (Myrsinaceae), Madhuca insignis (Radlk.) H.J. Lam (Sapotaceae) and Cycas beddomei Dyer (Cycadaceae) using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) and Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers for selecting the genetically diverse populations. The phylogeny was analysed through ITS (nrDNA) and matK (cpDNA) sequences to confirm the species identity.

The phylogenetic analyses confirmed four distinct species of Justicia, which also revealed that J. beddomei and J. adhatoda were sister groups with a common ancestor showing rapid parallel speciation with J. gendarussa in one clade and J. betonica in another. Madhuca insignis with extremely small population in the Western Ghats (Karnataka to Kerala) might have undergone either extensive hybridization or incipient speciation. In case of Embelia species, a greater evolutionary closeness between E. subcoraceae and E. floribunda was revealed, while E. ribes had a distinct clad. Both ISSR and SSR markers distinguished various genotypes of Cycas beddomei.


Keywords

Conservation, Genetic Variability, Molecular Markers, Phylogeny, Threatened Plants.
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  • Establishing Taxonomic Identity and Selecting Genetically Diverse Populations for Conservation of Threatened Plants Using Molecular Markers

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Authors

N. K. Chrungoo
Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793 022, India
G. R. Rout
Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar 751 003, India
S. P. Balasubramani
Trans-Disciplinary University, Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, 74/2, Jarakabanade Kaval, Attur PO, Yelahanka, Bengaluru 560 106, India
P. E. Rajasekharan
Division of Plant Genetic Resources, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bengaluru 560 089, India
K. Haridasan
Trans-Disciplinary University, Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, 74/2, Jarakabanade Kaval, Attur PO, Yelahanka, Bengaluru 560 106, India
B. R. P. Rao
Department of Botany, Biodiversity Conservation Division, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur 515 003, India
R. Manjunath
Trans-Disciplinary University, Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, 74/2, Jarakabanade Kaval, Attur PO, Yelahanka, Bengaluru 560 106, India
G. Nagduwar
Trans-Disciplinary University, Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, 74/2, Jarakabanade Kaval, Attur PO, Yelahanka, Bengaluru 560 106, India
P. Venkatasubramanian
Trans-Disciplinary University, Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, 74/2, Jarakabanade Kaval, Attur PO, Yelahanka, Bengaluru 560 106, India
A. Nongbet
Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793 022, India
M. Hynniewta
Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793 022, India
D. Swain
Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar 751 003, India
S. Salamma
Department of Botany, Biodiversity Conservation Division, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur 515 003, India
K. Souravi
Division of Plant Genetic Resources, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bengaluru 560 089, India
S. N. Jena
CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow 226 001, India
S. K. Barik
Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793 022, India

Abstract


The extent of genetic diversity within a species is an important determinant of successful adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. Assessment of extent of genetic diversity/variability is also important to monitor genetic erosion within a species. In threatened plant species, genetic diversity assessment helps in selection of genetically diverse populations to enrich the genetically impoverished populations, thus minimizing the probability of genetic drift. Confirming taxonomic identity of threatened species, particularly those belonging to species complexes with dispute identity, is another essential task in the conservation of threatened species, which is best resolved through molecular approaches. The present study estimated the genetic variability within and among the populations of four threatened species, viz. Justicia beddomei (C.B. Clarke) Bennet (Acanthaceae), Embelia ribes Burm. f. (Myrsinaceae), Madhuca insignis (Radlk.) H.J. Lam (Sapotaceae) and Cycas beddomei Dyer (Cycadaceae) using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) and Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers for selecting the genetically diverse populations. The phylogeny was analysed through ITS (nrDNA) and matK (cpDNA) sequences to confirm the species identity.

The phylogenetic analyses confirmed four distinct species of Justicia, which also revealed that J. beddomei and J. adhatoda were sister groups with a common ancestor showing rapid parallel speciation with J. gendarussa in one clade and J. betonica in another. Madhuca insignis with extremely small population in the Western Ghats (Karnataka to Kerala) might have undergone either extensive hybridization or incipient speciation. In case of Embelia species, a greater evolutionary closeness between E. subcoraceae and E. floribunda was revealed, while E. ribes had a distinct clad. Both ISSR and SSR markers distinguished various genotypes of Cycas beddomei.


Keywords


Conservation, Genetic Variability, Molecular Markers, Phylogeny, Threatened Plants.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv114%2Fi03%2F539-553