Utility of DNA finger printing in criminal investigations is
well-documented, but its usefulness in Botanical studies is also an
interesting field.
Conservation of genetic wealth, worldwide adoption of the UN
Convention on Biological Diversity and regulations and norms under World
Trade Organisation and concern over intellectual property rights have
highlighted the economic value of plants for which documentation of plant
resources through various molecular techniques has gained momentum.


As DNAs are the basic material for transmission of hereditary
information, knowledge of a specific DNA type can help us identify varieties
for cultivation, in relationships of different plants or their population,
varietal detection for breeding purposes and knowing their phylogeny or
origin and evolution, says senior scientist Pratap Chandra Panda of
city-based Regional Plant Resource Centre (RPRC).

For example, he says there are five varieties of rice available in
Orissa - Oryza jeyporensis, O.granulata, O.rufipogon, O.nivera and
O.perensis including the common variety O. sativa. While O. jeyporensis and
O. nivera are wild varieties, others are of the same genetic makeup but with
variations which is reflected through their DNA investigation.

DNA finger printing is done through various stages like isolation of
the genetic material from the plant, purification and amplification with the
help of different synthesisers or ?primers?. Subsequently, various
statistical methods are applied to construct the linkage with other genetic
data of the same or related species, the scientist says.

Till date RPRC has done the finger printing of over 400 plants.

While it has deciphered the DNA sequence of 109 wild legumes, the list
also includes 31 mangrove varieties, horticultural plants like chrysanthemum
(40), rose (70), mango (39), orchid (17), hibiscus (19), rare and endangered
plants like ficus (12), alphonsea (20) and ginger (16) and turmeric (17)
types under medicinal and aromatic varieties, Panda adds.

The data on the DNA finger printing will not only enrich the RPRC with
conventional studies, but also help in understanding the species? history
and take judicious decisions regarding their sustainable use. They are also
relevant to taxonomic identification, circumscription, reproductive biology
and the distribution of genetic variation. Various molecular markers like
Random Fragment Length Polymorphism and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA are
used to understand the genetic structures at RPRC and they have a greater
role in crop breeding and plant biodiversity improvement programmes, the
scientist reveals.


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