Genetic diversity in taro (Colocasia esculenta) from Pakistan

Abstract

Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, commonly known as taro, is an important tuber crop with historical importance. It belongs to monocot Aroid family (Araceae). This highly polymorphic family consists of 110 genera with over 2500 species. Taro is considered among one of the oldest and widely cultivated crop as starch source. An estimated 400 million people in tropics and subtropics use taro in their diet as a staple food. Taro is mainly grown for its edible corm and leaves although all parts of taro, including corm, cormels, flower, leaves, stalk and rhizome are edible. The aims of current study are assessment of genetic diversity, documentation of morphological / agronomic traits and finding out affiliation of taro in Pakistan with Indo-Pacific superclade. Morphological data revealed significant variation of taro in Pakistan. Character which exhibited variation include plant height, leaf colour, leaf veins colour, leaf length, leaf width, petiole colour, petiole height and petiole sheathed edge area. To find out affiliation of taro in Pakistan with Indo-Pacific superclade, the 592bp fragment of chloroplast from all samples amplified by using ACECP05 primer. The sequencing revealed that all samples belong to Himalayan superclade. Taken together, the results manifested the presence of genetically diverse taro in Pakistan which belongs to Himalayan superclade. Furthermore, Study is needed on taro of Indus basin to further confirm affiliation of Pakistani taro with H-Superclade and IP- superclade. Keywords: Colocasia esculenta, Genetic diversity, Himalayan Superclade, Indo-Pacific superclade, Morphological traits