DNA Profiling of Ziziphus mauritiana (Lam.) and Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub. for Lac Cultivation in India

Abstract

Lac, a resinous material having tremendous industrial applications, is secreted by the females of lac insect, Kerria lacca (Kerr) which thrives on various host taxa but commercially two most important taxa viz. Ziziphus mauritiana (Rhamnaceae) and Butea monosperma (Fabaceae), which are in use for lac cultivation in India. Thirty eight ‘elite’ trees of Z. mauritiana and 28 ‘elite’ trees of Butea monosperma were selected for DNA profiling and assessment of genetic diversity by RAPD markers. Average percentage of polymorphic amplification product and Jaccard’s similarity coefficient values were 98.6 % and 0.34 among elite trees of Z. mauritiana; and 66.3 % and 0.72 among elite trees of B. monosperma, respectively. UPGMA dendrogram grouping 38 elite trees of Z. mauritiana showed only one distinct cluster comprising of eleven trees while UPGMA dendrogram grouping of 28 elite trees of B. monosperma denoted three principle clusters. Most of the elite trees of Z. mauritiana were loosely grouped in principal component analysis (PCA) while the PCA among all elite trees of B. monosperma also supported the general pattern of genetic diversity revealed by UPGMA. Moreover, no two elite trees within the same species were found to be identical for the loci analyzed. Future attempts for the improvement of lac insect host trees could focus on the molecular breeding amongst the elite trees, as identified by their respective DNA profiling, in order to produce the superior clones via tissue culture.