DNA polymorphisms in some Mauritan varieties of eggplant (
Solanum melongena L.) and their related wild species using
Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers.
Paper Presenter: Banumaty Saraye (Mrs), Agricultural Research &
Extension Unit
Eggplant is widely grown locally and a common vegetable consumed by
most of the population in several types of dishes. Two types of eggplant
are currently grown locally, the long cylindrical type, the variety “Cipaye”
and the round type, the variety “Farcie”. The annual production turns
around 2819 t over an area of 202 ha (Anon, 2004). Most of the varieties
that exist locally are shiny purple in colour but there exist some white
varieties which are not commercially grown. Most of the varieties being
grown locally are those developed by the small growers. A few numbers of
varieties are available which have been introduced by research
organizations like the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research
and Extension Unit and some private seed companies. However the bulk
of the plantation comes from the varieties possessed by the growers who
have been collecting seeds which they kept for the next generation. The
main constraints in eggplant plantation locally are the susceptibility of
some of the varieties to the major disease, the bacterial wilt and also to
some major pest like thrips and mites. It is known that the wild types of
eggplant species are resistant to such disease and pest incidence and also
to change in environment. Since no molecular studies have been carried
out on the different eggplant varieties available locally and their related
wild species.
A survey of the genetic diversity among Mauritian eggplant (Solanum
melongena L.) varieties and two wild species Solanum torvum and
Solanum violaceum were carried out using random amplified polymorphic
DNA (RAPD) markers. The CTAB method using phenol/chloroform/isoamyl
was found to yield sufficient good quality DNA from tender leaves of these
Solanum spp. A total of 31 arbitrary primers were screened. Only seven
primers were found to be highly informative and they produced distinct
and polymorphic bands. A total of 67 amplified products were obtained
which exhibited 54.7% polymorphism. A cluster analysis was performed
using the software Population as the clustering method. The dendodgram
obtained from the RAPD markers showed the genetic variation between
the cultivated varieties and the wild types. It also showed the close
relationship that exists among the cultivated types. These primers will be
useful for future genetic analysis and also serve as genetic basis for
selection of parents for crop improvement
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