Identification of Solanum melongena Linn. Accessions using the RAPD method: A case study

Abstract

Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is an important solanaceous vegetable crop in many countries. It is a native of India and widely grown in Karnataka, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. Arka Navneet is a popular brinjal variety known for its high yield and adaptability to different climatic conditions. Although many molecular markers have been developed for it, not much data is available for the accession of Tamil Nadu. The present study aimed to identify different accessions of Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India through RAPD analysis. A total of 15 accessions were collected from various locations and named B1 to B15. They were identified differently based on morphological and taxonomical characteristics. Molecular characterization was done by using 15 universal RAPD primers. Fifteen RAPD primers generated 1466 amplicons, of which 42 (2.86%) were monomorphic. OPL 15 could identify all fifteen accessions, so, it was used for phylogenetic analysis. The dendrogram showed a minimum distance between B3 and B9 followed by B5 and B10. Accession B11 was noted most distant from all other accessions. We conclude that RAPD technique is efficient for the characterization of Solanum melongena accession from Tamil Nadu, India. Even This technique was noted as efficient for phylogenetic identification and assessing diversity.