RAPD diversity of Stipa grandis populations and its relationship with some ecological factors

The genetic diversity of Stipa grandis P.Smirn and its relationship with the climatic variables were studied using the RAPD technique for 90 genes from five natural populations sampled in the Xilingol steppe, China. Sixteen oligonucleotides screened from 100 random primers were used to amplify 310 trackable RAPD loci, which were all polymorphic. By analyzing the RAPD data using POPGENE software, different geographic S. grandis populations were studied, which indicated a high level of genetic diversity, and the maximum variation was observed within the populations with a 28% variation observed among the populations. Using Pearson correlation analysis, significant (P < 0.05) or highly significant (P < 0.01) relationships were found between gene diversity indexes and temperature factors (≥10°C cumulative temperature in a year, annual mean temperature and mean temperature in January). Mantelʹs tests showed that there was no significant correlation between Neiʹs unbiased genetic distance and the geographic distance of S. grandis populations (r = 0.184, P = 0.261). However, there were significant or highly significant correlations between Neiʹs genetic distance and the several climatic divergences in pairwise S. grandis populations. All results indicated that natural selection resulting from variations in water and temperature was responsible for the adaptive eco-geographical differentiation indicated by the RAPD markers of different S. grandis populations, and that immigration and gene drift did not play an important role in affecting the differentiation of S. grandis populations.