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Population genetic structure of the endangered and endemic medicinal plant Commiphora wightii

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Abstract

Commiphora wightii is a medicinally important endangered species endemic to the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, India and adjoining areas of Pakistan. The populations of this species are declining sharply because of its extensive use as a natural herb. Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis was conducted to find the genetic variation among 7 populations of C. wightii. Of the 100 random primers screened, 44 primers yielded 220 loci. Statistical analysis indicated low genetic diversity (H pop = 0.0958; I = 0.1498; mean polymorphic loci = 14.28%), and high genetic differentiation among the populations (G ST = 0.3990; AMOVA Φ ST of 0.3390; Bayesian θ (II) = 0.3002). The low genetic diversity may be due to geographic isolation and restricted gene flow (N m = 0.7533) between the fragmented populations. Unsustainable utilization of the plant has fragmented the population continuum which served the purpose of genetic exchange between populations. Mantel’s test was performed which revealed a highly significant positive correlation between genetic and geographic distance (r 2 = 0.614, P = 0.023) among the populations studied. Low variation can also be attributed to poor seed setting and the slow growth pattern of the species, which is also an apomict. In UPGMA dendrogram the Commiphora wightii samples were divided into two major and one minor cluster. These findings can serve as a guide to preserving the genetic resources of this medicinal plant species.

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Acknowledgments

We thank late Dr. M L Sharma and Dr. M Krishnamohan for helping to locate and identify C. wightii plants. The authors are thankful to BTISNet SubDIC (BT/BI/04/065/04) for providing facilities for statistical analyses and the Government of Jharkhand, Dept. of Agriculture for providing infrastructure development fund. This study was financially supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India (NBDB Grant 102/IFD/SAN/1192/2004-05).

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  1. Department of Biotechnology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, 835215, India

    Inamul Haque, Rajib Bandopadhyay & Kunal Mukhopadhyay

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  1. Inamul Haque
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Correspondence to Kunal Mukhopadhyay.

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Haque, I., Bandopadhyay, R. & Mukhopadhyay, K. Population genetic structure of the endangered and endemic medicinal plant Commiphora wightii . Mol Biol Rep 37, 847–854 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-009-9661-9

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