Molecular diversity and phenetic relationship of Momordica spp. of Indian occurrence

Twenty-one RAPD and twelve ISSR primers were used for assessment of genetic diversity and establishing phenetic relationships among 35 genotypes of six currently cultivated Indian Momordica species and five genotypes of two Luffa species. A total of 436 RAPD and 230 ISSR scorable fragments were produced of which 99.8% fragments showed polymorphism among the species and varieties of Momordica and Luffa. The level of polymorphism detected by the 33 random primers was higher among the species (99.8%) of Momordica than that estimated among the varieties (61.3%). The varieties belonging to dioecious Momordica species (75.6%) showed a higher level of polymorphism as compared to monoecious species (50.3%). A significant level (68.6%) of polymorphism however was detected by the two marker types among the Indian varieties of monoecious M. charantia species. A wider range of molecular diversity (16–95%) detected by both RAPD and ISSR markers reflected presence of high level of genetic variation among the species and Indian varieties of Momordica and Luffa. The level of inter-specific diversity was maximum (90%) between annual monoecious M. charantia and perennial dioecious M. cochinchinensis whereas the extent of intra-specific diversity was highest particularly in dioecious species (51%) as compared to monoecious species like M. charantia (38%). Wider divergence of the taxon of controversial identity, M. cymbalaria from the other Indian cultivated Momordica species and their evolutionary closeness with Luffa species was evident. The clustering pattern obtained among the 40 genotypes belonging to different Momordica and Luffa species corresponded well with their morphological, cytological and taxonomic classification, which was further supported by high boot-strap values and PCA analysis. Species and genotype-specific fragments detected by the random markers would be useful in introgression breeding for genetic improvement of Momordica cultivated in India. A smaller set of 28 informative random markers screened in this study could precisely differentiate the Momordica genotypes from each other and thus would be of use in many marker-based genotyping applications in Momordica.