Evaluation of genetic variation between cymbopogon citratus and C.nardus using ISSR and DNA sequencing

• Main Author: Mohamed Abu Bakar, Nur Syazana
• Format: Project Paper Report
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/90959/1/FBSB%202015%20162%20-%20IR.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/90959/
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

Cymbopogon citratus (C. citratus) and Cymbopogon citratus (C. nardus) are two aromatic grass species which can be found in Malaysia. C. citratus or commonly known as lemongrass is edible and has been widely used in Malay culinary dishes while C. nardus or citronella grass cannot be ingested and only used topically as an ointment. In this study, C. citratus and C. nardus samples collected around Peninsular Malaysia were characterized using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) to observe the genetic variation between both species. 28 ISSR primers were screened and 8 primers were selected based on reproducibility and ability to produce scorable bands. Out of 70 loci scored, 63 were found to be polymorphic. Genetic distance was calculated from the scored bands and UPGMA dendrogram was constructed. Three DNA samples from each species were sent for sequencing and a marker was developed based on single nucleotide polymorphism between C. citratus and C. nardus.