Genetic diversity of Sclerocarya birrea subspecies birrea populations in Burkina Faso detected by RAPDs

Abstract

Sclerocarya birrea, multipurpose plant is characteristic of the Sahel-Sudanian savanna and is widespread in West Africa. Although this species has a high socio-economic importance, its genetic organization was not well characterized in Burkina Faso. In this study, the intra and interpopulation genetic diversity of S. birrea was determined by random amplified polymorphic deoxyribonucleic acid (RAPD) markers. We found a high average of intra population genetic diversity (He = 0.20) among S. birrea populations. The species populations were also characterized by their low genetic differentiation (Gst = 0.24), indicating a significant exchange of genes flow between populations. The whole population was clustered into four groups without reference of site and climatic zone. The Mantel test suggested that genetic distances between populations were not correlated to geographic distances. Our results strongly suggest that the structure and the level of this species’ genetics diversity may be due to its mode of dissemination involving ruminants.

Key words: Genetic, variation, Sclerocarya birrea subspecies birrea, populations, RAPDs markers, Burkina Faso.