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Genetic diversity in Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) as revealed by phenotypic descriptors and DArT marker analysis

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Abstract

Genetic diversity of a Bambara groundnut germplasm representing accessions from 25 African countries, maintained at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA; Nigeria) was evaluated based on seed patterns, qualitative characters, quantitative traits and Diversity Arrays Technique (DArT) markers. The study aimed at identifying important descriptors for germplasm conservation, validating the crop’s geographical centre of origin and facilitating the utilization of existing genetic resources. Frequencies and diversity indices of seven types of seed patterns, 12 qualitative and 28 quantitative traits were evaluated for 124 representative accessions and were analyzed by region to elucidate the geographic distribution of descriptor states. In addition, individual plant samples from a subset of 40 landrace accessions were analyzed by assessing 554 DArT markers. Both the phenetic tree constructed from the qualitative and quantitative descriptors and the population structure derived from DArT marker analysis suggested a relatively high genetic diversity among accessions. Higher genetic diversity was observed for the Cameroon/Nigeria region relative to other regions, in agreement with the hypothesis that this region is the centre of origin for Bambara groundnut. Use of an extensive and diverse range of germplasm and an approach that integrated morphological and quantitative descriptors with DNA markers that represent wide genomic coverage offered a powerful way to make inferences about crop germplasm, in support of crop-improvement programs.

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Acknowledgments

The Bambara groundnut germplasm samples generously supplied by IITA and support of the staff of the IITA Genebank are gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetics and Biochemistry Department, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA

    Bode A. Olukolu, Albert G. Abbott & Chittaranjan Kole

  2. Genetic Resources Unit (Genebank), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria

    N. Quat Ng & Dumet Dominique

  3. Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Iyiwole Fawole

  4. Plant and Crop Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK

    Sean Mayes

  5. Centre for Food and Life Sciences, Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Am Hochanger 2, 85350, Freising, Germany

    Florian Stadler

  6. Seri Alam Plantation SDN, Seri Alam, Malaysia

    N. Quat Ng

  7. School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham Malaysian Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

    Sayed N. Azam-Ali

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  1. Bode A. Olukolu
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  2. Sean Mayes
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  3. Florian Stadler
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  4. N. Quat Ng
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  5. Iyiwole Fawole
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  6. Dumet Dominique
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  7. Sayed N. Azam-Ali
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  8. Albert G. Abbott
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  9. Chittaranjan Kole
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Correspondence to Bode A. Olukolu or N. Quat Ng.

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Olukolu, B.A., Mayes, S., Stadler, F. et al. Genetic diversity in Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) as revealed by phenotypic descriptors and DArT marker analysis. Genet Resour Crop Evol 59, 347–358 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-011-9686-5

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