Comparison of three European impatiens species by nuclear DNA markers

Abstract

Invasion of Impatiens parviflora and I. glandulifera is very important problem nowadays, solving it, valuable messages might be obtained comparing invasive range Impatiens of Europe with native species of the same genera. Comparison of genetic information of three Impatiens species is still at initial stage. The aim of this study is to determine genetic variability of Impatiens species growing in Lithuania and Czech Republic by RAPD (Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA) and ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeat) markers. Lithuania and Czech Republic were selected as different in climate, edaphic conditions also pathways of invasion, with significant amount of I. parviflora and I. glandulifera populations present. In total, 24 populations of I. nolitangere. I. parviflora and I. glandulifera (8 populations of each species) were examined employing 8 RAPD and 5 ISSR markers. Study was funded by Lithuania Science Council, Project No. LEK-07/2012; SIT-02/2015. According to the mean values of polymorphism at RAPD loci, the closest were I. noli-tangere and I. parviflora (respectively mean P% = 13.9% and P% = 17.3%), while at ISSR loci, the most similar were I. parviflora and I. glandulifera (respectively mean P% = 26.5% and P% = 22.0%). The highest genetic differentiation at RAPD loci (GST = 0.81) was characteristic for I. parviflora and the highest genetic differentiation at ISSR loci (GST = 0.73) was documented for I. glandulifera. According to genetic differentiation, the most similar species were I. nolitangere and I. parviflora at RAPD loci, while at ISSR loci – the most comparable were both invasive species of balsams. According to Nei’s genetic distances between populations, significant correlations were documented for I. noli-tangere and I. parviflora (r = 0.79; p < 0.05), also for I. parviflora and I. glandulifera (r = 0.76; p < 0.05) based on RAPD loci and for I. parviflora and I. glandulifera (r = 0.89; p < 0.05) based on ISSR loci. [...]