Characterization of Grain Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) Germplasm in South West Nigeria Using Morphological, Nutritional, and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Analysis

Abstract

Efficient utilization of plant genetic resources for nutrition and crop improvement requires systematic understanding of the important traits. Amaranthus species are distributed worldwide with an interesting diversity of landraces and cultivars whose leaves and seeds are consumed. Despite their potential to enhance food security and economic livelihoods, grain amaranth breeding to improve nutritional quality and adoption by farmers in sub-Saharan Africa is scanty. This study assessed the variation among 29 grain amaranth accessions using 27 phenotypic (10 morphological and 17 nutritional) characters and 16 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers. Multivariate analysis of phenotypic characters showed the first four principal components contributing 57.53% of observed variability, while cluster analysis yielded five groups at 87.5% similarity coefficient. RAPD primers generated a total of 193 amplicons with an average of 12.06 amplicons per primer, 81% of which were polymorphic. Genetic similarities based on Jaccard's coefficient ranged from 0.61 to 0.88. The RAPD-based unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean dendrogram grouped the accessions into nine clusters, with the same species clustering together. RAPD primers distinguished the accessions more effectively than phenotypic markers. Accessions in the different clusters as obtained can be exploited for heterotic gain in desired nutritional traits.

Comparative Chromosome Analysis of Three <i>Amaranthus</i> Species

“…Amaranthus L. belonging to Amaranthaceae is consisting of more than 60 species (Akin-Idowu et al 2016). These are annual herbs and commonly known as Amaranths (Ahmed et al 2008, Akin-Idowu et al 2016. It is one of the old cultivated crops originated in the American continent (Das 2012).…”

“…It is also an excellent versatile crop which can grow over a wide range of agro-climatic zones showing resistance to various environmental stresses and thereby may readily adapt to new environmental conditions. Thus, the species of this genus are distributed worldwide with an interesting diversity of landraces (Das 2012, Akin-Idowu et al 2016.…”

“…It also exhibits tremendous diversity related to their wide adaptability to different eco-geographic distributions (Lee et al 2008). Genotype identification in Amaranth had been a long term challenge due to the close relationship that exists within the genus (Wax 1995, Akin-Idowu et al 2016.…”

Genetic Polymorphism among Species belong to Amaranthaceae Collected from Baghdad Province-Iraq by using RAPD –PCR

“…It can be used to survey large number of loci and to discover unambiguous genetic and taxonomic relationships among different taxa [8,9]. Therefore, RAPD primers can distinguish the traits accessions more effectively than study only the phenotypic markers study [7].…”

“…The most important studies for determining the existence or absence of these relations among species and their source, provides workers in the field, plant classification and systematic with important information that denies or confirms their hypotheses and scientific observations in their taxonomic studies or diagnostic or anatomical of different types of plants. Efficient utilization of the most important plant genetic resources to use for nutrition and crop improvement requires clear systematic understanding of the most important traits [7].…”