Assessing Intraspecific Genetic Variability in Cannabis sativa Populations of Punjab Pakistan Using RAPD and DNA Barcode Markers

Muti-Ullah, Hafiz Mohsin Akram Babar, Muhammad Faizan Malik, Usama Raza and Zakia Habib

https://doi.org/10.22194/Pdc/2.1011

Cannabis sativa possess substantial amount of omega-3 fatty acids and several medicinal benefits with potential secondary metabolites.   This study employed rbcL, matK, and trnH-psbA barcode markers and RAPD marker to explore genetic diversity in C. sativa populations in Punjab, Pakistan. In population genetic study using DNA barcode markers, cladogram showed investigated samples were genetically similar; however, demonstrated significant genetic diversity with the available DNA sequences of this plant from other regions and countries. The nucleotide sequence variation (% divergence) indicated high intraspecific variation in plants of different geographical zones. However, the RAPD marker analysis displayed genetic diversity among collected Cannabis sativa samples. The principal component analysis reinforced these findings by providing a spatial representation of genetic distances among the samples that revealed a considerable genetic diversity among the collected material and significant intraspecific variation was observed, indicating diverse genetic profiles across geographical regions. This research highlights the potential of molecular markers in germplasm selection for breeding programs