Pawpaw [Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal] Germplasm Evaluation Using RAPD Markers

Kentucky State Univ. (KSU) is the national clonal germplasm repository for Asimina species. Previous evaluation of the KSU pawpaw collection using 24 isozyme markers demonstrated that pawpaw has a relatively higher genetic diversity than that noted for other plant species with similar species characteristics (long-lived, woody, perennial, out-crossing, temperate, widespread, etc.). Current evaluation using RAPD markers will provide us with a more-accurate insight into pawpaw genetic diversity and population structure. In a preliminary experiment, one hundred 10-mer primers (OA1-20 through OE1-20, Operon Technologies Inc.) were screened against 32 commercial cultivars or advanced selections. A subset of 24 primers that amplify only the most-informative markers were used for germplasm evaluation. Sixty-eight RAPD markers were identified and used for determining genetic parameters. One-hundred-twenty pawpaw accessions were sampled from the KSU repository for RAPD analysis. These accessions represented nine widely distributed states within pawpaw's native range. RAPD data were subjected to various analyses using the NTSYS-PC computer program (ver. 1.8). Information generated from isozyme and RAPD markers will be used to formulate future germplasm collection strategies from wild populations within the native range. The implications of such information to the genetic enhancement of our repository and establishment of a core collection will be discussed.