Molecular analysis of variability among genotypes of Abrus precatorius L. with different seed coat colours using RAPD and ISSR markers

Three genotypes of a medicinal, climbing herb Abrus precatorius L. (Family: Fabaceae), having different seed coat colour (red, black and white), were subjected to molecular analysis using PCR based RAPD and ISSR markers. Twenty RAPD (decamers) and fourteen ISSR primers were screened for their amplification potential. Of which 12 RAPD and 5 ISSR primers produced clear and reproducible amplified products. These primers yielded a total of 149 amplified fragments with an average of 8.76 bands per primer including 14 (9.39%) polymorphic fragments. In the study, ISSR fingerprinting (14.28%) detected more polymorphic loci as compare to RAPDs (7.89%). The data analyses based on Jaccard’s similarity coefficient and UPGMA cluster analysis revealed that genotypes with black and white seed coats were more diverse as compared to genotype with red seed coat. Combined data of RAPD and ISSR further revealed that Abrus with white seed coat was more closely related to those having red seed coat.