Morphological and Molecular Genetic Assessment Of Some Thymus Species

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to determine the morphological and genetically assessment in five Thymus species: Thymus vulgaris, Origanum vulgare, Thymus argenteus, Thymus citriodorus and Origanum syricum. Morphological assessment for the five Thymus species were obtained based on some growth parameters including: Plant height, Number of branches, Leaves fresh weight, Leaves dry weight and Volatile Oil%. Molecular genetic variability was assessed based on (SCoT-PCR) and (ISSR-PCR) analysis. Growth parameters were illustrated among five Thymus species in all growth parameters were had significant differences. The SCoT-PCR analysis using 5 out of 10 primers tested, the results illustrated that SCoT primers produced 24 Polymorphic bands out of 39 amplified bands with polymorphic average 60.52%, also five ISSR primers out of 14 primers tested, which analysis were generated 14 polymorphic bands out of 23 amplified bands with polymorphic average 60.86%. As well as assessment of SCoT and ISSR molecular marker techniques succeeded in generating reproducible and reliable amplified bands and from obvious results, SCoT-PCR analysis was better than ISSR-PCR analysis in molecular genetics. On The other hand, results obtained from an UPGMA dendrograms resulted in two genetically distinct clusters were determined between Thymus species. This results were conducted that SCoT and ISSR analysis could be useful as tools for identifying Thymes species in breeding programs.