Genetic variation among Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Malvaceae) of different flower colors using ISSR and isozymes.

Germplasm identification and characterization is an important link between the conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources. Traditionally, species or cultivars identification has relied on morphological characters like growth habit or floral morphology like flower color and other characteristics of the plant. Studies were undertaken for identification and determination of genetic variation between four cultivars of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. with different colors (red, pink, orange and white) through inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and isozymes pattern. ISSR result produced scorable banding patterns with nine primers out of ten. A total number of 89 DNA fragments were amplified with different lengths over all the four cultivars with the nine primers. The result showed that 39 DNA amplified fragments were polymorphic in the four cultivars. Eighteen DNA amplified fragments were considered as cultivarspecific markers. Isozymes results indicated that Peroxidase and esterase isozymes revealed extensive polymorphism among four cultivars. PX6 were positive specific marker detected in the yellow flowers while EST3 was unique marker with pink flower color cultivar. The similarity indices and the consensus trees of the four cultivars were developed based on the banding that pink flower contrasting cultivars were distantly related cultivars.