Phylogenetic relationships of Prunus (Rosaceae) distributed in North East India: insights from the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence (ITS)

Abstract

Abstract Background Prunus L. is a large genus including trees and shrubs such as apricot, almond, peaches, plum and nectarines belonging to family Rosaceae. The phylogenetic analysis using ITS sequence was conducted to understand the evolutionary relationship between the Prunus sp. of North East India. Methods and results The present study focuses on the 32 accessions, comprising of six voucher specimen of Prunus cerasoides, one voucher specimen of Prunus campanulata, one voucher specimen of Prunus napaulensis, one voucher specimen of Prunus domestica and other twenty two voucher specimen of Prunuscomprising 5 subgenera according to Rehder (1940) and one voucher specimen of Pyrus communis (outgroup) archived from GenBank. The molecular marker (ITS) was utilized in the present study to understand the phylogenetic relationship. Various molecular markers are utilized in assessing the phylogenetic relationship and genetic diversity of Prunus. The reconstruction using the ITS region is to evaluate the evolutionary relationship of our species collected from North East region and to reflect on the relatedness of the taxa based on the ML and Bayesian method. The result of phylogenetic analyses based on ITS sequence clustered two major groups comprising of the Cerasus-Padus-Laurocerasus complex and the Prunus-Amygdalus complex. Conclusion The ITS sequences of the Prunus species from the present investigation would be helpful in the future study as it provides access to the sequences from the region of North East India as there is no phylogenetic study conducted till date.