Study of Phylogenetic Relationship among Vigna Species Using Morphological Characters and Seed Storage Proteins

The experiment was conducted to study the phylogenetic relationship among four cultivated Vigna species, including Vigna radiata, Vigna mungo, Vigna aconitifolia and Vigna unguiculata, using the germplasm from National Genebank of Pakistan. Seed of 15 accessions of each species was taken from Genebank of Plant Genetic Resources Institute, NARC, Islamabad, and these 60 accessions were planted in the NARC field, using augmented design. Data was recorded for eight morphological characters, including branching pattern, calyx color, corolla color, flowering period, leaf senescence, petiole color, petiole length and twining tendency. Cluster analysis was conducted, using software Statistica through Ward’s method. The seed of all 60 accessions was subjected to SDS-PAGE analysis. Cluster analysis of seed storage proteins was conducted using Unweighted Pair-group Average method. Cluster analysis for morphological characters divided the accessions into four clusters of different species. In case of seed storage proteins, 13 clusters were observed, five of which included accessions of different species. It was found by cluster analysis for morphological characters that Vigna radiata and Vigna mungo are in same major cluster at linkage and they are related to Vigna unguiculata at greater linkage distance. Phylogenetic tree constructed on the basis of morphological characters indicates genetic relationship among cultivated Vigna species. Seed storage protein analysis gives an estimate of diversity in protein profile and the possible genetic relationship.