Evaluation of genetic diversity of Alhagi maurorum ecotypes using ISSR and SCoT markers in Razavi, Northern and Southern Khorasan provinces

The camelthorn (Alhagi maurorum) is one of the compatible plant species with arid and semi-arid regions that is important for forage production, soil protection and medicine. This research was carried out in order to investigate the genetic diversity of camelthorn ecotypes, to determine the similarities and differences between ecotypes and to recognize the genetic structure of different camelthorn ecotypes using ISSR and SCoT markers.
 
The 22 ecotypes from different regions of North, Razavi and South Khorasan provinces were studied. The DNA was extracted by the CTAB method. The 12 ISSR and 18 SCoT primers were used in the molecular analysis.
 
The polymorphism percentages in the two markers were 99.42% and 95.42%, respectively. In the ISSR and SCoT markers, the IS5, IS8, IS10 and S2, S4, S6, S7, and S10 primers amplified the highest number of bands, respectively, and the IS1, IS2, IS3, IS6 and S1 amplified the lowest bands, respectively. In the ISSR and SCoT markers, the IS6 (0.44) and S12 (0.44) primers had the highest PIC value, respectively, and the IS4 (0.09) and S1(0.04) primers had the lowest PIC value. In the ISSR marker, the IS6 primer had the highest and the IS2, and IS10 primers had the lowest Nei genetic diversity index and Shannon information index, respectively. In the SCoT marker, the S14 primer had the highest, and the S1 primer had the lowest Nei genetic diversity index and Shannon information index, respectively. The cluster analysis classified the ecotypes into three groups. The molecular analysis of variance showed that the 9%, 14% and 91%, 86% of the total genetic variation were related to the within and between groups in ISSR and SCoT markers, respectively.
 
This study demonstrated the accuracy of the ISSR and SCoT markers in identifying high levels of polymorphism and was appropriate for investigating the genetic diversity amongst camelthorn ecotypes. The IS6 and S12, and S14 primers were recognized as the best primers in this study, and it is suggested that these primers be considered in future studies. In total, the results showed that the diversity within populations was higher than the diversity between populations, which indicates that the geographical distribution does not follow of genetic diversity in the camelthorn plant.