Efficiency of RAPD Molecular Marker for Studying Genetic Diversity in Black Gram (Vigna Mungo)

The present study was conducted to investigate morphological differentiation among a number of selections derived from pedigree method of breeding in Black gram and to elucidate variations among lines derived from advance segregating generations (F5 and F6) of same or different cross combinations. Amplification of genomic DNA of the 30 genotypes including 4 checks. Ten polymorphic RAPD primers were used to study the DNA polymorphism in some elite blackgram genotypes. All the chosen primers amplified fragments across the 30 genotypes studied, with the number of amplified fragments ranging from 5 (LC 97) to 12 (LC 73 and LC 110) and which varied in size from 200 bp to 2500 bp.

The study confirmed the absence of sufficient genotypic variability among elite lines, emanating from intra specific crosses in black gram. Most of the present day varieties and lines has undergone introgression of genes either directly from T9 (a widely adapted cultivar of past) or indirectly from selection or hybridization involving T9. The narrow genetic base of elite lines, revealed the presence of low genotypic variation which suggested the need of using wide hybridization to broaden the genetic base in blackgram.