Genetic Diversity Analysis of Salvadora Oleoides Decne: An Evergreen Dry Land Fruit Tree of Rajasthan, India

Abstract Genetic diversity of Salvadora oleoides Decne is analyzed by cumulative data of 10 Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), 10 Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) and 7 Intron Splice Junction (ISJ) markers. The plant is an evergreen fruit tree and well distributed in semi-arid and sub-humid climatic conditions of Rajasthan, India. RAPD, ISSR and ISJ primers accounted for 84.4%, 85.3%, 85.9% polymorphism. Average 0.23 PIC is accounted for RAPD, ISSR and ISJ primers. The genetic similarity ranged between 0.42-0.89. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed higher variation (73%) at intra-population than inter-population (27%) level. Genetic distances based on Un-weighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrogram and Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) is correlated with physical distances or climatic conditions of Salvadora oleoides Decne in a semi-arid and sub-humid environment of Rajasthan. The present investigation may help in the understanding of gene flow systems between physical distances and environmental heterogeneity of the populations for better management of Salvadora oleoides Decne in the region.