Application of Isozyme Data in Fingerprinting Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) for Germplasm Management

Sixty-four accessions of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.), a forage crop of tropics and subtropics, were assessed for polymorphism in isozymes and total proteins (TP). The national germplasm collection exhibited polymorphism in all the three isozymes viz., malate dehydrogenase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and peroxidase (POX) besides TP profile. Though POX and TP showed comparatively higher polymorphism, the study indicated the efficiency of three-enzyme system in identifying more than 90% of the accessions. The combination of TP and three-enzyme systems provided unique isozyme/TP banding patterns for all the 64 accessions leading to development of accession specific profile/fingerprints. In Napier, which is perennial with long vegetative phase, it is difficult to discriminate germplasm accessions based only on morphology. Thus biochemical markers could be efficiently utilized to complement morphological evaluations, in maintaining identity and purity of germplasm for proper conservation and management, for better use in breeding and for proprietary reasons.