Molecular diversity in the Indian Chenopod (Chenopodium album) as revealed by DNA-based markers

Population structure of 41 accessions of Chenopodium album and its sub species C. album ssp. amaranticolor along with five accessions of C. quinoa from India, USA and Argentina was studied using 37 polymorphic microsatellite loci. The C. album from India was highly diverse and comprised of three distinct populations. The first population was genetically similar to C. album, the second was different from C. album as well as from C. quinoa, whereas the third population resembled C. quinoa. On the other hand, the ssp. amranticolor was genetically similar to C. album. The RAPD markers delineated an accession of C. quinoa into a separate group, whereas SSR markers showed this accession to be genetically similar to C. album. Genetic diversity patterns suggested the need for taxonomic review of the Indian accessions classified as C. album and C. album ssp. amaranticolor.