An evaluation of genetic diversity in micropropagated anthurium using starch gel electrophoresis

Abstract

Anthurium andreanum Lind is a cut flower which is in high demand in the local and export cut flower trades in Sri Lanka. For commercial production of export anthurium cut flowers, it is essential that the selected elite qualities of the flowers borne on this original mother stock plants are maintained consistantly through many generations on vegetative multiplication. Tliis paper reports on stanch gel electrophoresis which was adapted successfully on anthuriums to evaluate genetic diversity if any, in plants derived either from seedlings, conventional stem cuttings or micropropagated clonal plants. Buffered leaf extracts were compared by means of horizontal starch gel electrophoresis to check the variability in cv. 'Crinkled Red'. Isoenzyme banding patterns of malic dehydrogenase (MDH), 6 phosphogluconic dehydrogenase (6 PGDH), phosphogluco isomerase (PGI) and diaphorase (DIAP) were used. Extracts of 105 seedlings, 60 clonal plants produced through rhizome cuttings and 150 in vitro propagated plants were compared to detect possible somaclonal variations in the daughter plants produced. Results of starch gel electrophoresis showed that extracts of seedling plants contained variations, expressed as percentages showing deviant patterns in all five isoenzyme systems assessed: MDH 14%, 6 PGDH 13%, GOT 12%, PGI 14% and DIAP 16%. None of the clonal plants or in vitro propagated plants tested using this technique showed variations in any of the isoenzyme compared. Tlie results of this study showed the genetic diversity in anthwium seedling plants and confirmed that stability was maintained in vegetatively propagated and in vitro propagated plants. Since in vitro propagation produces a large number of uniform and genetically stable plants, in vitro multiplication would appear to be suitable for use in the Sri Lankan floriculture industry