Genetic divergence studies in indigenous Malus baccata biotypes by using the random amplified decamer primers

Study of genetic diversity is an important aspect to be covered for proper utilization of the germplasm for breeding purpose and crop improvement programme. Keeping in view, genetic divergence studies in indigenous crab apple biotypes (Malus baccata var. Himaliaca) maintained at two field gene banks of Himachal Pradesh state of India was carried out by using the RAPD molecular markers. Total 119 decamer primers were initially screened to check these biotypes during the genotypic screening out of which 94 showed clear and scorable bands. In samples of IARI RS these primers revealed 67.47% of polymorphism and PIC value ranged between 0.497 to 0.867, whereas average number of alleles per primer was 4.84. Jaccard’s similarity coefficient ranged from 0.44 to 0.65 which shows the divergence among the biotypes during the present investigation. Comparatively low percentage (53.37%) was observed in seven biotypes of NBPGR, RS, while almost similar PIC value range 0.47-0.87 was obtained. Similarity coefficient values ranged from 0.62-0.74 which was less than that of IARI, RS. Here, M. baccata came as an outliner and found to be distinct among all. Combined analysis of fourteen samples of crab apple biotype maintained at two gene banks resulted in 75.5% polymorphism and highest PIC value of 0.867. UPGMA clustering figured all the biotypes in one major cluster with some subcluster except Malus baccata Kinnaur which is the most divergent among all and came out as an outliner shows similarity of more than 40 per cent with rest of all the biotypes. In the present study, considerable variations were found among the wild crab apple biotypes. RAPD primer were found to be useful in evaluating the genetic diversity in wild apple biotypes.