ISSR Primer Selection for Genetic Variability Analyses with Jaborandi (Pilocarpus microphyllus Stapf ex Wardlew., Rutaceae)

Abstract

Pilocarpus microphyllus Stapf ex Wardlew. (jaborandi) is native to the North and Northeast regions of Brazil. Intensive exploitation for the extraction of pilocarpine, a valuable alkaloid for the pharmaceutical industry, has killed off or brought about a loss of vigor of naturally occurring plant populations. As a result, the species is officially listed as an endangered species of the Brazilian flora. Genetic diversity is required for the adaptation of populations to environmental changes, and maintaining it is a central objective for biological conservation. ISSRs are dominant markers widely used in genetic diversity studies of endangered species, allowing for the identification of genotypes and cultivars, as well as helping in phylogenetic studies based on DNA fingerprinting. This study presents an ISSR primer selection for genetic structure analyses of natural populations and cultivated collections of P. microphyllus.