Study of genetic diversity of medicinal plant Leonurus cardiaca some populations in Iran using RAPD marker

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) is the only species of the genus Leonurus in Iran. It has many different compounds such as flavonoids, iridoids, triterpene, tannins, sterols, carotenoids useful to treat heart and therapy stomach diseases, any neurological disorders. In this study, RAPD molecular markers were used to evaluate genetic diversity among 30 accessions from six wild populations of motherwort in Iran. Totally 60 random primers were tested initially where 28 produced polymorphic and high resolution bands. In total, 364 DNA fragment were obtained, from which 325 were polymorphic. Cluster analysis of genotype based on the Dice similarity coefficient and UPGMA method was performed. The min and max population’s values of genetic similarity were recorded between Dargaz 1 and Khansar 5 (0.12) and Sari 2 and Sari 3 (0.89) respectively. In the Cluster analysis genotypes were divided into two main groups at 20 distances, on included Dargaz and the other contained Sarab, Khansar, Kerman, Sari and Taleghan. Population diversity using Nei's genetic diversity (h) and Shannon index (I) showed that genetic variation within populations Sarab and Taleghan (h=0.10, I=0.15) was the highest and within Kerman population was the least (h=0.06, I=0.10). crosses genotypes of Dargaz population with other populations according to genetic distance determined in this study can be good option for Production Hybrid with desired functions.