Genetic diversity investigation of bitter melon (Citrullus colocynthis L.) populations using morphological and molecular markers
Soheila Ghanavati, Asad Masoumiasl and Foad Moradi
Citrullus colocynthis L. is growing as a weed in Iran, has much medicinal application. Fifteen different populations of this plant were collected from different regions and genetic diversity among them evaluated using morphological and molecular markers. First, cluster analysis based on nine evaluated morphological traits divided populations into four distinct groups. Principle component analysis based on morphologic traits showed that first three components were explained 78.04 percent of variation among populations. Second, ten primers were applied on whole genome extract to disclose DNA polymorphism among populations. Many bands were appeared and display a 99.16 percent polymorphism. Cluster analysis categorized populations into four groups. The least and the most genetic similarity were observed between Dezful and Bandan and Dezful and Lendeh populations, respectively. Finally, it was proved that random amplified polymorphic DNA markers could be a proper tool for genetic diversity investigation in Iranian populations of Bitter melon.