Abstract

Generic relationships were examined among twenty-four species belonging to genusCassia L., Senna Mill. and Chamaecrista Moench using RAPD marker. Total 80 primers were initially screened, 514 amplification products obtained with 38 informative primers, of which 514 were polymorphic. A vary high degree of polymorphism (100%) was observed among them. UPGMA cluster analysis of genetic similarity indices grouped all the species into three major clusters. Cluster I included four species of Cassia L., Cluster II included eighteen species of Senna Mill. and Cluster III included two species of C. Moench. Highest similarity (0.9%) was observed between Cassia fistula L. and Cassia fistula with nodded filaments and least (0.001%) between Cassia fistula L. and Senna splendida. The Polymorphic information contents (PIC) of the twenty-four species with RAPD marker varied from 0.08 to 0.49 with an average of 0.005. The result confirms the statement of Irwin and Barneby, they divided the genus Cassia L. into three subgenera; Cassia L.,Senna Mill. and C. Moench on the basis of morphological characters. The results obtained from the present study support the previous taxonomic classification of the genus CassiaL. and showed large diversity among the species of three newly created genera. Our results suggested that RAPD marker is a sensitive, precise and efficient tool for genomic analysis of Cassia L. that may be useful in future studies by assigning new unclassified germplasm to specific taxonomic groups and reclassify previously classified species and genera.

Key words: Cassia, Senna, Chamaecrista, genetic relationship, RAPD.