Phenotypic, chemical component and molecular assessment of genetic diversity and population structure of Morinda officinalis germplasm

Abstract

Background Morinda officinalis How (MO) is a perennial herb distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, which known as one of the “Four Southern Herbal Medicines”. The extent of genetic variability and the population structure of MO are presently little understood. Here, nine morphological traits, six chemical components and Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were used in integrative research of MO germplasm variation among 88 individuals collected from ten populations across four geographical provinces of China. Results Both phenotype and chemical composition have significant genetic variation, and there is a certain correlation between them such as root diameter and the nystose content, as well as geographical distribution. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed the leaf length, leaf width, nystose, 1F-furanosaccharide nystose, and the section color were the major contributors to diversity. The cluster analysis based on phenotypic and oligosaccharide data distinguished three significant groups, which was consistent with the result of a corresponding analysis with 228,615 SNP markers, and importantly, they all showed a significant correlation with geographical origin. However, there was little similarity between two cluster results. The Shannon’s information index (I) varied from 0.17 to 0.53 with a mean of 0.37, suggesting a high level of genetic diversity in MO populations, which mainly existed among individuals within populations, accounting for 99.66% of the total according to the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) results. Each population also maintains the connection because of certain gene communication, so that the genetic differentiation between populations was not very significant. The STRUCTURE software was used to analyse the population structure and the result showed that 88 accessions were clustered into three groups, and 67% of them were pure type, which was also confirmed through PCA. Conclusions The comprehensive study of phenotypic, chemical and molecular markers will provide valuable information for future breeding plans and understanding the phylogenetic relationship of MO population.

Phylogenetic Analysis Based on DNA Barcoding and Genetic Diversity Assessment of Morinda officinalis How in Vietnam Inferred by Microsatellites

“…The higher the heterozygosity in a population is, the more the genetic variability in it is. M. officinalis had high genetic diversity (Ho = 0.513 and He = 0.612) in this study compared to in Luo’s publication for the same species (Ho = 0.3436 and He = 0.2881) [ 5 ].…”

“…M. officinalis contains various bioactive components and has been used for decades as a tonic and an antirheumatic medicinal herb in some Asian countries [ 2 , 5 , 6 ]. The root of M. officinalis has long been used as a tonic or nutrient supplement for alleviating diseases such as depression, Alzheimer’s disease, impotence, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis [ 6 ].…”

“…Studies on molecular markers have been carried out on M. officinalis [ 5 , 20 ]. Liao et al in particular developed an SSR marker dataset to serve in further research related to this plant.…”

Observation and morphological character of Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) in Ciampea, Bogor Regency

“…The collection and study of germplasm resources is a fundamental element for initiating breeding programs. The wild noni natural resources serve a vital role in scientific research and application since they have mainly experienced natural selection and are minimally influenced by artificial selection [15]. Morphological data of Noni germplasm is needed in every region of Indonesia, especially in West Java, to facilitate the selection in the assembly of superior varieties.…”

Comprehensive Evaluation of Quality Traits of Hovenia acerba Germplasm Resources in Fujian Province

“…Quality traits are an important part of germplasm resources phenotypic traits [13], which can be used to understand the characteristics and genetic differences of germplasm resources [14]. Germplasm resources are the carriers of genetic information, which are directly or indirectly used in breeding, cultivation, and other biological functions [15,16].…”