Genetic relationship of rough lemon landraces and under-utilised citrus genotypes from North-East India revealed by SSR and RAPD markers

• Published in: Trees (Berlin, West) West), 2018-08, Vol.32 (4), p.1043-1059
• Main Authors: Sanabam, Rakesh, Singh, Nandeibam Samarjit, Sahoo, Dinabandhu, Devi, Huidrom Sunitibala
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptability; Agriculture; Agronomy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Citrinae; Citrus assamensis; Citrus fruits; Citrus indica; Citrus jambhiri; Climatic conditions; Clusters; Conservation; Cultivars; Forestry; Fruits; Genetic relationship; Genotypes; Habitat loss; Hybrids; Lemons; Life Sciences; Markers; Original Article; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Random amplified polymorphic DNA; Resource conservation; Rootstocks
• ISSN: 0931-1890; 1432-2285
• DOI: 10.1007/s00468-018-1694-z

Key message The study has unraveled the genetic relationship of under-utilised citrus varieties with rough lemons and found new insights into the development of suitable rootstocks for promoting citriculture in North-East India. Citrus resources of North-East India represent an invaluable source of various agronomic traits to breed new cultivars and rootstocks having adaptability to the agro-climatic conditions of the region. Lack of scientific approaches and resources towards identification and conservation of unique varieties of Citrus, destruction of natural habitats and absence of adequate information on the genetic relationship of existing citrus forms have resulted in the decline of citrus diversity in NE India. A total of 18 citrus genotypes of rough lemon strains and other under-utilized Citrus spp. collected from the region have been characterised using 22 SSR and 29 RAPD markers. The markers grouped the citrus genotypes into clusters of rough lemon, an acidic citrus group of lemon or natural hybrids and a small cluster of three genotypes. Polymorphic information content values of the SSR markers ranged from 0.481 to 0.90 and 0.26 to 0.45 in the case of RAPD markers. Similarity coefficient value ranged from 0.504 to 0.855 in RAPD while it varied from 0.299 to 0.723 in the case of SSR. C. assamensis along with two other Citrus genotypes grouped with a rough lemon cluster in SSR while shows genetic affinity with the acidic citrus group in RAPD analysis. Citrus indica was observed to be genetically distant from other citrus groups in both the marker systems studied. Grouping of related citrus forms and study of their genetic relationship will be of immense value for conservation and utilization of the region’s rich citrus resources.