GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SELECTED PLANTS OF FAMILY ASTERACEAE USING SSR MARKERS

Abstract

Family Asteraceae also called "Aster or Daisy" family is the biggest family of plants with extensive distribution and diverse habitats. The family has highest number of species with 25000 divided into 1600 genera comprising 10 % of the flowering plants. Asteraceae is classified into 3 subfamilies, Barnadesioideae, Asteroideae and Cichorioideae. Asteraceae possess controversial taxonomic position with particular focus on tribes and sister group associations in Asteroideae and Cichorioideae. Being the largest family on the land is also the biggest family in Pakistan on the bases of number of species having 650 species in 15 genera with some cultivated forms. In the present study 8 species were collected from different regions of Pakistan (Islamabad, Kheora and Peshawar) and their genetic diversity was studied using 10 SSR primers in which 5 primers gave reproducible results. The data was scored using 0, I method and edndrogram was constructed using PAST software. The study suggested that the current members of the family went through remarkable diversification through the course of evolution resulting variation in their DNA. Three pairs of species (Cosmos bipinnela and Bidens bitematta), (Helianthus annus and Lacluca sativa) and (Conyzanthus conyzoidus and Parthenium hesterophorus) were the most closely related species, while Parthenium hesterophorus and Cosmos bipinnata showed the most distant relationship. Further the study suggested that SSR marker can be effectively used to study genetic diversity in these species. In future, large number of species from diverse environment should be collected and resolved through diverse genetic markers including both sequenced and non-sequenced marker to resolve the position of these species in a better way.