Analysis of genetic diversity and population structure in Asparagus species using SSR markers

Manish Kapoor,Pooja Mawal,Vikas Sharma,Raghbir Chand Gupta

doi:10.1186/s43141-020-00065-3

Manish Kapoor, Pooja Mawal + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s43141-020-00065-3

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Abstract

BackgroundVarious Asparagus species constitute the significant vegetable and medicinal genetic resource throughout the world. Asparagus species serve as important commodity of food and pharmaceutical industries in India. A diverse collection of Asparagus species from different localities of Northwest India was investigated for its genetic diversity using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. ResultsPolymorphic SSR markers revealed high genetic diversity. Primer SSR-15 amplified maximum of 8 fragments while 3 primers, namely, SSR-43, SSR-63, and AGA1 amplified minimum of 3 fragments. Collectively, 122 alleles were amplified in a range between 3 and 8 with an average of 5 alleles per marker. The size of the amplified alleles ranged between 90 and 680 base pairs. Polymorphism information content (PIC) value varied from a highest value of 0.499 in primer AGA1 to a lowest value of 0.231 in primer SSR-63 with a mean value of 0.376 showing considerable SSR polymorphism. Dendrogram developed on the basis of Jaccard’s similarity coefficient and neighbor-joining tree segregated all the studied Asparagus species into two discrete groups. Structure analysis based on Bayesian clustering allocated different accessions to two independent clusters and exhibited low level of individual admixture. ConclusionsThe genetic diversity analysis showed a conservative genetic background for maximum species of asparagus. Only Accessions of Asparagus adscendens were split into two diverse clusters suggesting a wide genetic base of this species as compared to other species. Overall genetic diversity was high, and this germplasm of Asparagus can be used in future improvement programs. The findings of current research on Asparagus germplasm can make a momentous contribution to initiatives of interbreeding, conservation, and improvement of Asparagus in future.

Highlights

Various Asparagus species constitute the significant vegetable and medicinal genetic resource throughout the world
All the 48 accessions belong to ten Asparagus species namely A. adscendens, A. racemosus, A. virgatus, A. retrofractus, A. densiflorus, A. officinalis, A. plumosus, A. sprengeri, A. pyramidalis, and A. falcatus (Table 1)
Size range of alleles varied from 90 bp to 680 bp

Summary

Introduction

Various Asparagus species constitute the significant vegetable and medicinal genetic resource throughout the world. Asparagus species serve as important commodity of food and pharmaceutical industries in India. The genus Asparagus belongs to the recently created family Asparagaceae and reported to be comprised of about 300 species distributed all over the world. 22 species have been reported in India. Asparagus species are distributed throughout temperate, tropical, and subtropical parts of India [1]. Some of the Asparagus species distributed and cultivated in North India are A. racemosus, A. adscendens, A. officinalis, A. plumosus, A. sprengeri, A. Members of the genus are characterized by stem modifications called as cladodes, which are leaf-like organs. Cytological reports indicate that polyploidization is common in this genus and considered an important mechanism in the evolution of Asparagus [7,8,9,10,11]

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