Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

STUDIES ON MORPHOLOGICAL AND GENETIC DIVERSITY OF JASMINE ECOTYPES OF COASTAL KARNATAKA

H.S. Chaitanya, Nataraja S. and M. Krishnappa

Abstract

In the present investigation, morphological differences among the three jasmine ecotypes viz., Bhatkal mallige, Udupi mallige, and Mangalur mallige cultivated commercially in coastal districts of Karnataka viz., Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada respectively. The qualitative character of the three jasmine ecotypes was recorded as per the DUS character of jasmine given by PPV and FRA, whereas quantitative traits of the plant vegetative characters and floral parts were recorded and statistically analysed. The dendrogram constructed on the quantitative characters represented two clusters. The cluster analysis clearly suggested that Bhatkal mallige and Udupi mallige are morphologically similar and are distinctively different from Mangalur mallige. The genetic diversity was evaluated using RAPD markers for which 10 random primers were used. The clustering of the three jasmine ecotypes based on RAPD analysis through the dendrogram revealed two major clusters where Bhatkal mallige and Udupi mallige formed together one cluster showing more similarity and these two ecotypes were found to have maximum genetic diversity with Mangalur mallige. The present study showcased the morphological and genetic characters of the three commercially important jasmine ecotypes of coastal Karnataka. The phenotypic studies and RAPD analysis of the three ecotypes clearly show that there are less morphological and genetic variations among Bhatkal mallige and these ecotypes show maximum diversity from Mangalur mallige.