Analysis of genetic diversity of Castor cultivars using RAPD

Castor is a plant that is commercially very important to the world. It is produced in about 30 countries lying in the tropical belt of the world. Due to high production and utilization of such crop, it gets essential to differentiate the varieties for benefit of mankind. Single species with 9 cultivars were subjected to RAPD analysis for differentiation from each other through unique banding pattern and combined profiles of 20 primers in the present study. The present study shows genetic relationship among cultivars of Ricinus communis using RAPD markers. Using the cluster pattern, genetic relationships can be obtained which may prove to be helpful to the breeders in identifying the diverse cultivars and construct the phylogenetic history of the species. This information can further help to distinguish modified castor varieties. The genetic similarity obtained from the analysis will be useful in selecting divergent parents for breeding and mapping purposes. RAPD analysis was proved to be a powerful technique for fingerprinting and relationship between and among the cultivars even from the same population.