Comparative molecular characterization of Desmodium gangeticum DC. and Desmodium laxiflorum DC. through random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis

Desmodium gangeticum DC. which belongs to family Fabaceae, known as Shalaparniisa widely used drug in Ayurveda. Shalaparni is one of the contents of Laghupan chamoola as well as that of Dashamoola. In some areas of Gujarat, local Vaidyas use Desmodium laxiflorum DC. (Fabaceae) instead of D.gangeticum, which suggest that they may possess almost similar properties. In the market sample of Shalaparni, adulteration is a common practice now a days. The use of highly discriminatory methods for the identification and characterization of genotypes is essential for plant protection, authentication and appropriate use. Present study utilized the RAPD method for the genetic fingerprinting of 2 species of Desmodium genus i.e. Desmodium gangeticum and Desmodium laxiflorum. The 10 primers were used to amplify the DNA from the plant species. The binary scoring of these primers showed 60-65% of similar characters between species of the same genus. This study is helpful in developing DNA markers of both the species for their authentication as well as for the categorization of Desmodium genus