Three Dendograms based on RAPD, ISSR, and SSR data clearly indicated that there is correlation between the marker-based grouping pattern and geographical origin. The pattern of clustering of the species remained more or less the same in all three Dendograms. The matrices for RAPD and ISSR markers were also compared using Mantel’s test. The correlation between the matrices based on RAPD, ISSR and SSR data was very high (r = 0.90). The bootstrap probability values ranged from 75.8 to 99%.
Our investigation revealed significant variation in terms of RAPD, ISSR and SSR fingerprinting among the closely related species thought to be devoid of molecular variation (25) and thereby successfully drawing the interspecific phylogenetic relationships. The broad adaptation of some species of Cassia implies a large probability that nuclear DNA mutations occurred in the past. These resulted in diversification and genetic polymorphism in growth habit, vigor, and stem, leaf, seed, and pod characteristics and a physiological polymorphism, the water-use efficiency. Acknowledgments The authors are thankful to The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India for providing financial support (Sanction No. SR/FT/L-14/2003) and The Director, Regional Plant Resource Centre, Bhubaneswar for providing Laboratory facilities for this study.