Genetic characterization of Mandevilla spp. experimental lines by gSSR genotyping and cpDNA barcoding.

Mandevilla is a genus comprehending several ornamental plant species with a brilliant future overall in view of its high business acknowledgment and added esteem. Its nomenclature also includes Dipladenia, while its common name is “Brazilian jasmine” and is a decorative plant that was brought into the European market around 150 years ago. Until 1955, its development was limited to experienced English landscapers, and it was then spread all through Europe by Danish horticulturists. At present, this plant can be tracked down covering overhangs, lattices, arbores, and scenes, adding a tropical style to any open-air space. Mandevilla is particularly valued for its remarkable protection from wind, dry season, and pungent air, making it an ideal flower for summer in the Mediterranean region. However, like most of the ornamental crops, there are very few molecular tools that could be used for the purpose of cultivar innovation and breeding. In this research work, we report the development and analysis of 23 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers in Mandevilla. The microsatellites used in the work were developed and isolated from a newly arranged draft genome of the sample named “2001”. The developed markers were thus evaluated on a Mandevilla core collection, consisting of 55 samples of breeding and pre-commercial value, to determine the discrimination capability of the molecular markers panel, to characterize the core collection genotypes, and for evaluating the genetic similarity and genetic structure of the core collection in exam. Moreover, a DNA barcoding approach was also performed to investigate the species ancestry, since most of the genotypes available are probably interspecific hybrids, characterized by complex genealogies. The analysis parameters estimated after the amplification of the samples, a very garbled scenario, due to interspecific crosses. Based on the genetic similarity matrix, 7 comparisons were found to have 100% genetic similarity and the least genetic similarity was identified to be 50.2%. Genetic structure analysis revealed that the most probable number of ancestors constituting the core collection was equal to 26. The observation of admixed patterns was interpreted as a consequence of interspecific crosses that took place to obtain required morphological characters throughout the centuries. DNA barcoding and haplotyping analysis based on the rbcL and ITS1 genes divided samples into two clusters indicating their maternal inheritance patterns. Overall molecular data highlighted that the core collection of Mandevilla analyzed in this study has a very complex genetic structure and is characterized by high genetic diversity. Thus, the molecular markers under study could find utility in breeding programs aimed at the selection of valuable experimental lines well adapted to the agronomic and environmental conditions, and in genetic traceability studies of the Mandevilla spp.

Mandevilla is a genus comprehending several ornamental plant species with a brilliant future overall in view of its high business acknowledgment and added esteem. Its nomenclature also includes Dipladenia, while its common name is “Brazilian jasmine” and is a decorative plant that was brought into the European market around 150 years ago. Until 1955, its development was limited to experienced English landscapers, and it was then spread all through Europe by Danish horticulturists. At present, this plant can be tracked down covering overhangs, lattices, arbores, and scenes, adding a tropical style to any open-air space. Mandevilla is particularly valued for its remarkable protection from wind, dry season, and pungent air, making it an ideal flower for summer in the Mediterranean region. However, like most ornamental crops, there are very few molecular tools that could be used for the purpose of cultivar innovation and breeding. In this research work, we report the development and analysis of 23 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers in Mandevilla. The microsatellites used in the work were developed and isolated from a newly arranged draft genome of the sample named “2001”. The developed markers were thus evaluated on a Mandevilla core collection, consisting of 55 samples of breeding and pre-commercial value, to determine the discrimination capability of the molecular markers panel, to characterize the core collection genotypes, and for evaluating the genetic similarity and genetic structure of the core collection in the exam. Moreover, a DNA barcoding approach was also performed to investigate the species ancestry, since most of the genotypes available are probably interspecific hybrids, characterized by complex genealogies. The analysis parameters were estimated after the amplification of the samples, a very garbled scenario, due to interspecific crosses. Based on the genetic similarity matrix, 7 comparisons were found to have 100% genetic similarity and the least genetic similarity was identified to be 50.2%. Genetic structure analysis revealed that the most probable number of ancestors constituting the core collection was equal to 26. The observation of admixed patterns was interpreted as a consequence of interspecific crosses that took place to obtain required morphological characters throughout the centuries. DNA barcoding and haplotyping analysis based on the rbcL and ITS1 genes divided samples into two clusters indicating their maternal inheritance patterns. Overall molecular data highlighted that the core collection of Mandevilla analyzed in this study has a very complex genetic structure and is characterized by high genetic diversity. Thus, the molecular markers understudy could find utility in breeding programs aimed at the selection of valuable experimental lines well adapted to the agronomic and environmental conditions, and in genetic traceability studies of the Mandevilla spp.