Genetic diversity and population structure of Lantana camara in India indicates multiple introductions and gene flow. (30th September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ray, A.; Quader, S.; Loudet, O.
• Is Part Of: Plant biology. Volume 16:Number 3(2014:May)
• Page Start: 651
• Page End: 658
• Publication Date: 2013-09-30
• Subjects: Botany -- Periodicals; Plants -- genetics -- Periodicals; Plants -- growth & development -- Periodicals; Plant Proteins -- Periodicals; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant -- Periodicals; Botanique -- Périodiques; 580
• DOI: 10.1111/plb.12087
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1435-8603

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="plb12087-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Lantana camara</italic> is a highly invasive plant, which has spread over 60 countries and island groups of Asia, Africa and Australia. In India, it was introduced in the early nineteenth century, since when it has expanded and gradually established itself in almost every available ecosystem. We investigated the genetic diversity and population structure of this plant in India in order to understand its introduction, subsequent range expansion and gene flow. A total of 179 individuals were sequenced at three chloroplast loci and 218 individuals were genotyped for six nuclear microsatellites. Both chloroplasts (nine haplotypes) and microsatellites (83 alleles) showed high genetic diversity. Besides, each type of marker confirmed the presence of private polymorphism. We uncovered low to medium population structure in both markers, and found a faint signal of isolation by distance with microsatellites. Bayesian clustering analyses revealed multiple divergent genetic clusters. Taken together, these findings (<italic>i.e</italic>. high genetic diversity with private alleles and multiple genetic clusters) suggest that <italic>Lantana</italic> was introduced multiple times and gradually underwent spatial expansion with recurrent gene flow.</p> </abstract>