RAPD profile based genetic characterization of chemotypic variants of Artemisia annua L.

The annual herbaceous plant, Artemisia annua L., belonging to family Astera ceae, is the: natural source of the highly potent antimalarial compound, ar temisinin, besides producing valuable essential oil. The plant is at presen t the sole commercial source for artemisinin production since all the chemi cal syntheses are non-viable. Therefore, economic and practical considerati ons dictate that plants with maximum content of artemisinin be found and/or ways to increase their artemisinin content be sought. The key to this sele ction and breeding is a comprehension of chemical and genetic variability a nd suitable selection(s) of elites from within the available population. In the present study, RAPD analyses of selected chemotypes from a decade old introduced population in India were carried out using arbitrary primers. Th e RAPD data clearly indicate the distinction amongst these plants. Further, the detection of highly polymorphic profiles (97 polymorphic markers out o f a total of 101 markers) suggests the existence of very high levels of gen etic variation in the Indian population despite geographical isolation and opens out a strong possibility of further genetic improvement for superior artemisinin content. UPGMA analyses of RAPD and phytochemical trait data in dicate that the wide phytochemical diversity is included within the genetic diversity. These results further support the prospects for selection and b reeding of superior artemisinin containing lines.