Pheno-morphological variation, genetic diversity and population structure of Tunisian Echinus Medic (Medicago ciliaris L.)

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Medicago ciliaris L., considered as a valuable genetic resource, is a good candidate for the improvement of marginal or degraded lands with low fertility or high salinity. In this study, the phenomorphological and genetic diversity were investigated in 14 Tunisian populations of M. ciliaris for the first time. Fourteen morphological traits showed significant differentiation between populations and high levels of diversity. Two amplified fragment length polymorphism primer combinations (E-AGC/M-CAA; E-AAG/M-CTG) were analyzed using an automated capillary electrophoresis system. A total of 528 loci were 2 C. Jabri et al.Genetics and Molecular Research 15 (3): gmr.15038595 generated, of which 54% were polymorphic. Allelic polymorphism ranged from 0.02 to 0.5. Significant variation between populations was found for gene diversity, mean number of alleles per locus and Shannon index for which mean values were 0.17, 0.26, and 1.57, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance revealed a high rate of genetic variation within populations. Principal component analysis and genotypic clustering discriminated M. ciliaris populations according to their geographical origin. M. ciliaris clustered into three main groups. The first group was associated with high inland and cold areas, the second was defined by low areas with mild winters while the third described low coastal areas. Similarity of morphological and molecular results indicated that either markers could be used for the study of genetic diversity in this species.

Phenotypic diversity of Medicago crop wild relatives growing in Lebanon

“…A negative correlation is present between flowering, 100 seed weight and 100 pod weight, meaning that larger pods and seeds are the early flowering ones. Those results are consistent with Berger et al (2002) and Jabri et al (2016).…”

“…A positive correlation existed between days to flowering and the altitude. The findings are consistent with those obtained by Jabri et al 2016 for Tunisian Echinus Medic (Medicago ciliaris L.). As the temperature decreases at high elevations (Tranquillini 1964), this explains the negative correlation that existed between temperature and altitude.…”

Genetic structure, differentiation, and slight evidence for no selective neutrality of some SSR markers in populations of Medicagociliaris (L.) Krock and Medicagointertexta (L.) Mill species

“…In this study, we present the first report of molecular characterization of the M. intertexta populations and a comparison of their genetic diversity with M. ciliaris populations using SSR markers. Available information on the investigation of genetic diversity using molecular markers in M. ciliaris and M. intertexta is scarce; only one study has been published on the assessment and analysis of genetic diversity in M. ciliaris using microsatellite markers (Badri et al, 2007), another study analyzed the genetic diversity in M. ciliaris using AFLP markers (Jabri et al, 2016), and no molecular characterization was done on M. intertexta so far. The transferability rate of the studied SSR markers coming from the genome of M. truncatula to M. ciliaris and M. intertexta in this study is higher than the one that is found by Badri et al (2007).…”