Molecular diversity of Sargassum populations from Oman Sea coasts

Sargassum is widely distributed throughout rocky, coastal upwelling areas in the warm water of the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf in Iran. This alga is of great environmental and industrial importance. However, little information is available that documents the genetic variability of the genus. In this study, fifteen populations of six species of Sargassum were analyzed with ISSR bands. These populations were collected from four localities of Oman sea coasts in 2 seasons (autumn and winter) from 2017 to 2020. The ISSR bands were treated as binary characters and coded accordingly. Genetic diversity parameters were determined in each population. Grouping of the populations with UPGMA and PCOA analysis separated the studied species into distinct clusters but few individuals of the Zygocarpiae section were spread in clusters. Analysis revealed significant genetic differences among populations and some degree of genetic admixture and gene exchange among the studied populations.