Genetic Diversity in Corchorus Olitorius L. Grown in South-West Nigeria Inferred from RAPD Data

In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity and relationships in some Corchorus olitorius L. grown in South-West Nigeria. We used random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers in a total of 17 Corchorus olitorius L. cultivars. Twenty-two RAPD markers detected 96 polymorphic alleles (average, 4.36) and a high number of unique alleles (29%) in eight lines. Genetic distance based on RAPD data (Euclidean distance) ranged from 0.05 to 0.53 with a mean of 0.23, indicating low detected genetic diversity among the cultivars. Cluster analysis of RAPD data based on unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) grouped Corchorus olitorius L. cultivars into two main groups. Majority of the lines (15) were assigned into Group I which included lines collected from the same or different places. The second group consisted of two cultivars (EW05 and EW06) collected from the same place. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based on genetic distance also separated the cultivars into two groups. Genetic diversity has been narrowed in these cultivars suggesting possible effects of domestication and selection processes.