Identification of a natural mangrove hybrid of Rhizophora in Thailand using SNPs in nuclear and chloroplast regions Suchitra Changtragoon1 and Kittiya Singthong2 Forest and Plant Conservation Research Office, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Bangkok 10900 E-mail: suchitra.changtragoon@gmail.com1, singthong.k@gmail.com2 Sonjai Havanond Sirindhorn International Environmental Park, Phetchaburi, Thailand E-mail: sonjai_h@hotmail.com Abstract-One vigorously established 9 m tall putative hybrid of Rhizophora mucronata and R. apiculata was found in the regenerating mangrove forest within the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park (SIEP) at Phetchaburi Thailand. To confirm the hybrid status of this tree, nucleotide variation was examined at three nuclear regions together with one chloroplast region. The nuclear regions were DLDH, SBE2 and FMRrmll; atpB-rbcL spacer was the chloroplast region. All were PCR amplified and sequenced. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the three nuclear regions demonstrated nucleotide variation specific to R. mucronata and R. apiculata. The putative hybrid displayed the same nucleoptide polymorphisms as those from both R. mucronata and R. apiculata, thus revealing that this hybrid is a natural hybrid of R. mucronata and R. apiculata. The single nucleotide polymorphisms in atpB-rbcL chloroplast region in the hybrid were identical to those of R. mucronata, showing that the mother tree of this hybrid was R. mucronata. This finding may present useful genetic resources for mangrove reforestation in more challenging habitats where hybrid vigour may be advantageous. Keywords: natural hybrid, Rhizorphora mucronata x R. apiculata, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP’s) novel hybrid vigour. I. INTRODUCTION There are approximately 73 species and hybrids described as true mangroves distributed worldwide (Spalding et. al., 2010). Thailand has 34 species designated as true mangroves (Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, 52 Proceedings of the International Conference on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Policy and Practice 27-29 June 2016, Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Proceedings of International Conference on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals : Policy and Practice 27-29 June 2016 at the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park, Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand
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