Indian J. Genet.

, (2023); 83(2): 1-3

doi: 10.31742/ISGPB.83.2.x ISSN: 0975-6906

www.ijgpb.org

SHORT RESEARCH ARTICLE

Genetic relatedness among the jack fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus

Lam.) genotypes of the North East, India through molecular
markers
Ashok Chhetri*, Vijay Kumar, B. N. Hazarika1, Lobsang Wangchu2 and Siddhartha Singh3

Abstract
Forty genotypes of jack fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus L.) from six states, namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya,
Assam and Tripura from of North East India were subjected to genetic diversity analysis using RAPD and SSR markers. Results obtained
from the RAPD markers revealed that all the genotypes screened were closely related, i.e., 65 to 100% similar whereas 86 to 100%. The
majority of the genotypes were observed similar to each other, indicating that the parental lines may have common parentage and
hence showed adaptability to similar growing environmental conditions of the country’s northeastern region.

Keywords: RAPD, SSR, genetic diversity, jackfruit

Introduction RAPD and 30 SSR primers designed by Sigma-Aldrich were

India is the second largest producer of the Jack fruit and used in molecular analysis. The thermal cycling SSR primers
is widely distributed in the states of Assam, Tripura, Bihar had 36 cycles at 94°C for 3 minutes, 45–55°C for 1-minute,
and Uttar Pradesh, the foothills of Himalayas, Kerala, 72°C for 1-minute, a final elongation step of 4 min at 72°C.
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in south India, Meghalaya, Ten random oligo-nucleotide primers (Operon
Sikkim, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Assam (Singh et technologies) used in the study were able to amplify the
al. 2018). The tree is evergreen, medium-sized, typically
Multi-Technology Testing Centre & Vocational Training Centre,
reaching 8-25 m in height producing fruits weighing up to Central Agricultural University, Imphal 795 002 (CAUI), Manipur),
35 kg (Shyamalamma et al. 2008). The fruits can be canned Lembucherra, Agartala, Tripura, India
and processed into products like wine, ice cream, chips 1
College of Horticulture and Forestry, College of Horticulture and
and jellies, dehydrated jackfruit bulbs and squash, vinegar, Forestry, CAU I, Pasighat 791 102, Arunachal Pradesh, India
preserve, nectar and ready-to-serve beverages (Asquieri et 2
Department of Fruit science, College of Horticulture and Forestry,
al. 2008; Jagadeesh et al. 2009; Singh et al. 2001). However, CAU I, Pasighat 791 102, Arunachal Pradesh, India
there is not much systematic work had been done on the 3
Department of Basic Science and humanity, College of Horticulture
molecular characterization or screening of superior types and Forestry, CAU I, Pasighat 791 102, Arunachal Pradesh, India
found in India, particularly in North East India. Therefore, a *Corresponding Author: Ashok Chhetri, Multi-Technology Testing
study was conducted to assess genetic diversity in jack fruit Centre & Vocational Training Centre, Central Agricultural University,
at the molecular level. Imphal (CAUI), Manipur), Lembucherra, Agartala, Tripura, India,
A total of 40 tender leaves sample were collected from E-Mail: [email protected]
different trees from six states of North East, India distributed How to cite this article: Chhetri A., Kumar V., Hazarika B.N.,
as 20 from Tripura State (T1 to T20), four of Manipur (T21-24), Lobsang Wangchu L. and Singh S. 2023. Genetic relatedness
five of Assam (T25-T29), five of Arunachal Pradesh (T30- among the jack fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) genotypes of
T34), two of Mizoram (T35-T36), and four of Meghalaya the North East, India through molecular markers. Indian J. Genet.
(T37-T40). For molecular characterization, DNA was isolated Plant Breed., 83(2): 1-3.
by using the Doyle and Doyle method (1987) with slight Source of support: Nil
modifications. Genetic diversity of 40 samples of Artocarpus Conflict of interest: None.
heterophyllus genotypes were investigated by using 10 RAPD Received: Sept. 2022 Revised: Feb. 2023 Accepted: March 2023
markers and 30 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers. Ten
© The Author(s). 2023 Open Access This article is Published by the Indian Society of Genetics & Plant Breeding, NASC Complex, IARI P.O., Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110 012;
Online management by www.isgpb.org
2 Ashok Chhetri et al. [Vol. 83, No. 2

genomic DNA successfully. Only three of them (OPA-01,

OPC-07, OPG-03) were polymorphic and remaining seven
(OPD-3, OPD-19, OPF-1, OPF-5, OPF-10, OPF-13, OPF-15) were
monomorphic. The similarity coefficient determined the
similarity among all the genotypes that ranged between 60
to 100%, with an average of 80% (Fig. 1). The dendrogram
divided Artocarpus heterophyllus into two different clusters,
A and B. Cluster A was further divided into two sub-clusters,
T1, T2 and T5 consisting of genotypes from Tripura with
similarity of 65 to 85%. Cluster B consisted of all the
remaining genotypes i.e., T3-T4 and T6-T40, which belong
to different jack fruit growing regions of North East India
with similarity 76 to 100%. Within the sub-cluster of Cluster
B, four genotypes i.e., T14 (Tripura), T37 (Meghalaya), T40
(Meghalaya), and T38 (Meghalaya) were recorded 100%
similar. Similarly, in the other groups within sub cluster
100% similarity was noticed such as two genotypes, T30 Fig. 1. UPGMA-based dendrogram generated by RAPD molecular data
and T33 from Arunachal Pradesh, nine genotypes (T35-
T36) from Mizoram, T25-T28 from Assam; two genotype
group i.e., T19 (Tripura) and T23 (Manipur) and similarly
two genotype group each (T10 and T16) and (T13 and T15)
from Tripura, respectively. The least similarity (65%) was
found in genotypes, T5 (Tripura). These results were well
supported by the finding of Singh et al. (2018) in which a
good number of polymorphic bands were found with Primer
OPC-07. Similar results were found in RAPD study of different
genotypes of jackfruit by Schnell et al. (2001).
Out of 30 SSR primers, 10 produced strong polymorphic
bands and the remaining primers produced weak and
monomorphic bands. The jackfruit genotypes were
grouped into two major clusters viz., A and B (Fig. 2). Cluster
A consisted of 32 genotypes having 88 to 100% similarity,
whereas in cluster B only 8 genotypes were included having
86 to 100% similarity. Highest similarity (100%) was found
in sub-cluster having four genotypes, T1, T3, T4 (Tripura)
and T38 (Meghalaya); two genotypes T8 and T10 (Tripura);
three genotypes T12, T15, T18 (Tripura); three genotypes Fig. 2. UPGMA-based dendrogram generated by SSR molecular data
T5, T9, T11 (Tripura); three genotypes T6, T7, T19 (Tripura);
four genotypes T22 (Manipur), T39-T40 (Meghalaya), T28
(Assam) and T24 (Manipur), T25-T26 (Assam). In cluster B The lack of genetic diversity in jack fruit population in this
100% similarity was found in sub-clusters i.e., four genotypes region may be ascribed to common parentage in their
of T31, T32, T34 (Arunachal Pradesh), T35 (Mizoram). Least evolution. These genotypes adapted to similar growing
similarity i.e., 86 per cent was found in T30 (Arunachal environmental conditions. In order to enrich the genetic
Pradesh), T37 (Meghalaya). Similar findings were reported diversity, breeders need to follow modern techniques of
by Kavya et al. (2019), who used 22 SSR markers in 20 tree breeding to encourage higher production of jack fruit.
diverse genotypes of jack fruits. However, only six out of 22 Authors’ contribution
primers showed polymorphisms. In another study, Nakintu
Conceptualiz ation of research (AC , BNH);
et al., (2019) analysed genetic diversity in 200 genotypes of
D e s i g n i n g o f t h e e x p e r i m e n t s ( AC , B N H , S S ,
jackfruit from Uganda and found that genetic variation was
LW ); C o n t r i b u t i o n o f e x p e r i m e n t a l m a t e r i a l s
high within the population than among the population.
(AC,SS,LW); Execution of field/
It has been concluded from the present study that all
lab experiments and data collection
the genotypes collected from different states of North East
(AC, SS); Analysis of data and interpretation (AC, VK);
India had genetic similarity as per the molecular analysis.
Preparation of the manuscript (AC, VK).
May, 2023] Genetic relatedness among the jack fruit 3

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