Abstract

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to estimate the genetic variability and dissimilarity among the Andrographis paniculata (family- Acanthance), an important medicinal herb. Twenty-four (24) plants were collected from five districts of different places of Chhattisgarh region. Sixteen (16) primers generated a total of 159 polymorphic bands out of 182 total bands (79.95% polymorphism), with an average of 11.37 amplified bands per primers and 23 bands showed monomorphic banding pattern with an average of 1.43 per primers. A dendrogram was constructed based on the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages. Cluster analysis of data using UPGMA algorithm placed the 24 accessions of A. paniculata into two major clusters I and II which further sub-divided into many subclusters. Genetic dissimilarity coefficients calculated from RAPD data ranged from 0.3635 to 2.0160, with the highest value of 2.0160 between AP10 and AP16 and the lowest value of 0.3635 between accessions AP3 and AP5. The principal component analysis (PCA) clustering pattern corresponded well with the dendrogram.The results indicate that RAPD could be efficiently used for genetic diversity study in wild species of approaching value as it is quick, unswerving and superior to those on pedigree information.

Key words: Acanthance, dendrogram, principle component analysis (PCA), Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), variability.