Genetic Diversity of Anthemis tinctoria L., Matricaria recutita L. and Tripleurospermum sevanense (Manda) pobed Populations Using Total Proteins and Its Association with Geographical Factors

Chamomile is a valuable medical plant that grows wildly all across the north to south areas of Iran. Genetic diversity of 170 genotypes of eleven populations of Anthemis tinctoria, one population of Matricaria recutita and 5 populations of Tripleurospermum sevanense and its association with geographical factors were studied at Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Iran using total proteins profiles. On the basis of SDS-PAGE, 34 reproducible protein peptide bands were detected and used for the analysis of genetic diversity. The average number of polymorphic bands over total detected bands ranged from 0.141(in the population of AT – Bane 2) to 0.361 (in the population of AT - Sardasht). SDS-PAGE of total proteins showed high inter- and intra-population diversity but no clear differentiation on the basis of the origin or source. The mean genetic distance among populations was 0.0179, ranged from 0.645 between population of TS - Ghazvin and AT - Bane 2 to 0.025 between TS - Khoramabad and TS - Ardebil 1. The correlation between genetic and geographical distance matrices was not significant (R2 = 0.03,
p = 0.235) analyzed by means of Mantel test, indicating the lack of significant trends in variation of total proteins. These results suggested that the genetic basis of cultivated chamomile should be broadened by involving diverse parents in the breeding program. Expansion of the genetic base for cocksfoot breeding might be achieved by systematic use of germplasm that differs in protein profiles and has better quantitative traits..