Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resource, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
2 M.Sc. student, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resource, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
3 Post Doctoral Fellowships, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resource, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
4 Ph.D student, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resource, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
5 Faculty of Agriculture, Gonabad University, Gonabad, Iran
Abstract
Squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium (L.) Rich.) is a wild species that is native to temperate regions of Asia, North Africa, and Europe. This plant is one of the most important medicinal plants in the world. In the present study, morphological and biochemical traits of squirting cucumber ecotypes were investigated from three natural habitats in Ardabil province including Germi, Bilesuar-Anjirlooin and Parsabad regions (10 genotypes per region). The results showed that Parsabad ecotypes had large fruits and higher chlorophyll and carotenoids content. Since the genetic diversity of this plant is not been thoroughly investigated, the genetic diversity of three squirting cucumber ecotypes were examined by using ISSR markers. To assess the genetic similarity between samples a cluster analysis was performed using Jacquard. Among primers, the primer ISSR-13 showed the most polymorphism (46%). The lowest genetic similarity was found between the two genotypes of Bilesuar and Germi population. Cluster analysis of molecular data was categorized into five groups. This preliminary study demonstrated that ISSR markers were an effective method to evaluate genetic variability among squirting cucumber plant genotypes.
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