Genetic diversity in Cymbopogon species using PCR-based functional markers

Genetic diversity among 25 accessions (involving 8 species, 2 interspecific hybrids and one hybrid mutant) of medicinally important genus Cymbopogon was assessed using 17 PCR-based functional markers, that were designed from members of three different multigene families. We developed 16 primer pairs from two multigene families, 8 primer pairs each from cytochrome P450 and UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT); one primer pair was derived from 5S rRNA gene family. A total of 119 fragments were visualized, of which 108 (91%) were polymorphic. The level of diversity among different taxa/accessions observed during the present study was, however, low relative to the diversity level obtained due to RAPID markers in two earlier studies. The pattern of genetic diversity neither matched with the known taxonomic classification, nor did it always match with the distribution of chemical constituents of the essential oils available in these accessions. Thus, present investigation though revealed poor correlation between the molecular and chemical diversity, these gene-based markers may prove useful in the development of perfect markers for association mapping of genes involved in controlling agronomically important traits.