USEFULNESS OF RAPD MARKERS IN THE MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF QUEQUISQUE (<i>Xanthosoma</i> spp.) FROM NICARAGUA. PRELIMINARY STUDY

Abstract

Cocoyam is an important crop located in tropic and sub-tropic
because it provides food and incomes to peasant. Nicaragua
is in the centre of origin of Xanthosoma genus where wild
species with potential use can be found. Nevertheless, the
information about the genetic relationship among and within
genera is scarce. The use of molecular markers generated
from 40 RAPD primers (B and D kits Operon technologies)
in the characterization of Xanthosoma species grown in
Nicaragua was evaluated. With this purpose DNA from
four cultivated and three wild Xanthosoma, four ornamental
Alocasia, and three cultivated Colocasia genotypes was
extracted. The generated molecular markers were submitted
to phenetic analysis using the Neighbour joining program.
Fourteen of all the primers revealed polymorphism between
the genotypes. Dendrogram generated grouped the cultivated
and wild Xanthosoma together excepting X. mexicanum.
The Colocasia and Alocasia species did not form any clear
group. This study confirms the genetic the variation in wild
and cultivated Xanthosoma family grown in Nicaragua. The
polymorphic molecular markers generated for the 14 RAPD
primers can be used for the molecular characterization of the
Xanthosoma germplasm collected in Nicaragua.

Key words: Genetic diversity; RAPD markers; Xanthosoma

DOI: 10.5377/calera.v9i13.18