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Isozyme polymorphism and phylogenetic interpretations in the genus Cicer L
F Ahmad1, P M Gaur, A E Slinkard
1Department of Agronomy, University of Illinois, Turner Hall, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave., 61801, Urbana, IL, USA.
Summary
Genetic diversity in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and wild relatives was analyzed using allozyme variation. Cultivated chickpea showed no variation, highlighting the importance of wild species for genetic resources.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Plant breeding
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a vital legume crop with limited genetic diversity in cultivated varieties.
- Understanding genetic variation in wild Cicer species is crucial for crop improvement and conservation.
- Allozyme analysis provides a robust method for assessing genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships among cultivated chickpea and eight wild annual Cicer species.
- To identify polymorphic loci and assess the extent of variation within and between species.
- To compare allozyme-based phylogeny with previous findings.
Main Methods:
- Allozyme variation was analyzed across 50 accessions of cultivated chickpea and wild Cicer species.
- Sixteen enzyme systems were used to score 22 putative and scorable loci.
- Genetic diversity parameters (Dst, Hs) and polymorphic loci were calculated.
Main Results:
- Significant allozyme variation was observed between species (Dst = 0.510) but not within species (Hs = 0.050).
- Cultivated chickpea accessions exhibited no isozyme locus variation.
- Cicer reticulatum showed the highest proportion of polymorphic loci (0.59); Adh-2 and Lap were the most polymorphic loci.
- Phylogenetic analysis revealed distinct clusters, with Cicer arietinum, C. reticulatum, and C. echinospermum forming one group, and C. pinnatifidum, C. bijugum, and C. judaicum forming another.
- Cicer cuneatum displayed the largest genetic distance from C. arietinum.
Conclusions:
- Allozyme data confirm limited genetic diversity in cultivated chickpea.
- Wild Cicer species harbor significant genetic variation, essential for chickpea breeding programs.
- The established phylogeny generally supports previous findings, providing insights into the evolutionary history of annual Cicer species.
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