Characterization of Perilla frutescens (Linn.) Britt based on morphological, biochemical and STMS markers

Abstract

In the present study, morphological, biochemical and molecular diversities were assessed for 62 accessions and four checks of Perilla frutescens collected from Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim states of the North-eastern Hill (NEH) region of India. In the field, 8 qualitative and 13 quantitative traits were recorded to assess the diversity at the morphological level. Oil, protein, total phenol and fatty acids profiling was done to estimate diversity present at biochemical level and accessions namely IC524554, IC524504, IC52445, IC422885, IC275959, IC016443, IC006444, IC006442 and IC599246 were found with more than 50% oil content. Fourteen STMS markers which showed reproducible and clear amplification were selected for diversity study. Total 92 bands were amplified with 14 STMS primers out of which 92.85 (%) bands were polymorphic. Polymorphic information content (PIC) for STMS primers varied from 0.32 for primer GBFM75 to 0.92 for primer KWPE57. The average PIC was with an average of 0.62, and the gene diversity varied from 0.41 to 0.92. Cluster analysis based on biochemical and molecular characterization divided Perilla accessions into four groups whereas; morphological (qualitative and quantitative) markers divided accessions into three groups. Based on population structure analysis three clear populations were obtained. The principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) in Perilla accessions with STMS markers showed that the variation explained by the first three axes was 31.16%. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), based on the hierarchical cluster showed 6% diversity among population, 87% among individual and 6% within the individual, whereas the model based approach showed 21% diversity among population, 73% among individual and 6% within the individual. The study based on genetic diversity and population structure showed that great extent of diversity exists in Perilla accessions collected from NEH region of India and accessions; more than 50% oil content can be utilized for oil improvement programme and industrial applications.