Genetic variation of wild rice populations from Thailand and the Lao PDR based on molecular markers

Nuclear and Chloroplast DNA Variation Provides Insights into Population Structure and Multiple Origin of Native Aromatic Rices of Odisha, India

A large number of short grain aromatic rice suited to the agro-climatic conditions and local preferences are grown in niche areas of different parts of India and their diversity is evolved over centuries as a result of selection by traditional farmers. Systematic characterization of these specialty rices has not been attempted. An effort was made to characterize 126 aromatic short grain rice landraces, collected from 19 different districts in the State of Odisha, from eastern India. High level of variation for grain quality and agronomic traits among these aromatic rices was observed and genotypes having desirable phenotypic traits like erect flag leaf, thick culm, compact and dense panicles, short plant stature, early duration, superior yield and grain quality traits were identified. A total of 24 SSR markers corresponding to the hyper variable regions of rice chromosomes were used to understand the genetic diversity and to establish the genetic relationship among the aromatic short grain rice landraces at nuclear genome level. SSR analysis of 126 genotypes from Odisha and 10 genotypes from other states revealed 110 alleles with an average of 4.583 and the Nei’s genetic diversity value (He) was in the range of 0.034–0.880 revealing two sub-populations SP 1 (membership percentage-27.1%) and SP 2 (72.9%). At the organelle genomic level for the C/A repeats in PS1D sequence of chloroplasts, eight different plastid sub types and 33 haplotypes were detected. The japonica (Nipponbare) subtype (6C7A) was detected in 100 genotypes followed by O. rufipogon (KF428978) subtype (6C6A) in 13 genotypes while indica (93–11) sub type (8C8A) was seen in 14 genotypes. The tree constructed based on haplotypes suggests that short grain aromatic landraces might have independent origin of these plastid subtypes. Notably a wide range of diversity was observed among these landraces cultivated in different parts confined to the State of Odisha.

Molecular analysis of utility of a retrotransposon, p-SINE1-r2 in the Asian wild rice and weedy rice populations

The distribution of a retrotransposon, p-SINE1-r2 located at the waxy locus was analyzed by the PCR assay in the perennial wild rice (Oryza rufipogon) which inhabited in four isolated and six disturbed populations and in the weedy rice population. The level of clonality of the wild rice species was determined in populations subject to level of water supply and another disturbance. The results showed that all four isolated populations carried the genotype (-/-) and (-/+), while three genotypes (-/-), (-/+) and (+/+) was found on the six populations which grown near by rice fields. This finding was strongly supported the idea that the original wild rice populations of O. rufipogon exhibited prominent genotype (-/-) and (-/+) and mainly propagated by vegetative reproduction and the allele (+) which found in the wild rice plant with the genotype (+/+) may originated from gene flow from cultivated rice to wild rice. Weedy rice accessions used in this study showed the three genotypes based on this DNA locus. The distribution of this DNA locus in wild rice and weedy rice populations were deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The perennial wild rice populations were annually under season drought (March to May of the year in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia), they tended to have small size clones with relatively high clonal diversity (i.e., number of genotypes), except for the population from Cambodia, which carried only the genotype (-/+). Although DNA maker used to detect genetic variation at population levels is too small, but this locus is very sensitive enough to be a useful indicator for genetic variation at the population level.