Molecular characterization of Iranian Dracocephalum (Lamiaceae) species based on RAPD data

Abstract

Taxonomic relationship and genetic diversity among 17 accessions belonging to six Iranian Dracocephalum L. species and one accession of Lallemantia as closely related genus was analyzed using RAPD markers. Forty RAPD markers were used and only twelve of them gave reproducible polymorphic bands among the accessions studied. In total 262 bands were produced out of which 10 bands were monomorphic and 252 bands were polymorphic. Among the taxa investigated Dracocephalum kotschyi (Damavand population) showed the highest number of RAPD bands (144), while D. multicaule (Zanjan population) showed the lowest number (95). UPGMA cluster analysis showed efficacy of RAPD data to differentiate the species at molecular level. Dracocephalum polychaetum and D. surmandinum as two different species in Flora of Iranica revealed a close relationship with Dracocephalum kotschyi and formed a mixed subcluster. The RAPD analysis offered rapid and reliable tools for the estimation of inter- and intra specific variability in Dracocephalum.