Molecular Characterization of Lentil by RAPD Markers

Abstract

Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used to assess genetic diversity and relationship among six lentil varieties, namely BARlmasur-!. BARimasur-2, BARlmasur-3, BARlmasur-4, BARlmasur-5 and BARlmasur-6. Genomic DNA was extracted form young leaves using SI)S method. Three individual from each of the six varieties was analyzed using seven random primers. Amplification with seven (out of 10) random primers generated 53 RAPD markers of which 32 (60.37%) were considered as polymorphic. The highest proportion of polymorphic loci was 11.32% for BARlmasur-3. Nd's gene diversity value (0.0552) was the highest in case of BARlmasur-3. Results of this investigation indicated relatively high level of genetic variation in BARlmasur-3 compared to other varieties. High level of variety differentiation (G = 1.00) and low level olgene flow (Nm= 0.1328) estimates across all loci retlected that the level of genetic variation existed among all the six lentil varieties. The similarity indices for individual cultivars (Si) was higher (average 98.99%) than inter varietal similarity (S1 ) (average 95.15%). The inter varietal similarity (S1 ) for BARlmasur-1 Vs BARimasur-2 was higher (95.11%) whereas S11 value was lowest for BARlmasur-1 Vs BARlmasur-5 (69.63%). The un-weighted pair group method of arithmetic mean (UPOMA) dendrogram based on Nei's genetci distance, grouped the six cultivars into two main clusters. BARlmasur-1, BARlmasur-2 and BARlmasur-3 in cluster I and BARlmasur-4, BARlmasur-5 and BARlmasur-6 ware group in cluster If. The cultivar BARlmasur4 was close to the cultivar BARlmasur-6 with the lowest genetic distance (0.0972) and the highest genetic distance (0.5002) was found between BARlmasur-1 and RARlmasur-5, The RAPt) markers were found to be useful tool in molecular characterization of lentil varieties which could he utilized by the breeders for the improvement of lentil cultivars.