Molecular Characterization of Guava Landraces in Kenya (Western and South Coast)

Abstract

Guava (Psidium guajava L) is native to tropical areas of America where it exists as wild and cultivated. Guava has been used as source of food and in development of pharmaceuticals. Preliminarily molecular characterization has been used for the characterization of guava germplasm but molecular characterization of Kenyan guava has not been carried out. A study was carried out in 6 sites of Western and 3 sites of Coastal region of Kenya for genetic differences. Molecular characterization was done using the young apical leaves. DNA was extracted using modified CTAB method. DNA was amplified using 5 SSR markers and 3 markers produced scorable reproducable bands that ranged from 150-700bp. Levels of polymorphism ranged from 7-70% resulting in 7 cluster. 9 ISSR markers were screened and 4 produced scorable reproducible. The four primers generated bands ranging from 100-900bp. ISSR showed higher levels of polymorphism 51- 85% are and resulted in 3 major clusters. From the results of this study, molecular characterization can be used to give distinct differences among landraces

Keywords; landraces, molecular, ISSR, SSR, Psidium guajava