Genetic diversity of Jatropha curcas L. in Senegal compared with exotic accessions based on microsatellite markers

Significant efforts have been undertaken in West Africa to increase biofuel production with the expectation to alleviate the dependency on fossil energies and to reduce rural poverty by diversifying cultivated crops. In this context, Jatropha curcas L., a shrub belonging to Euphorbiaceae family, has gained great interest because of its oil which can be converted to biodiesel. It is also highly adaptable to marginal soils due to its drought-tolerant characteristics. Characterisation of J. curcas germplasm in Senegal could be an important input for its better management and in identifying genotypes that could be used in breeding program. Genetic diversity of 103 accessions including 82 accessions from different agro ecological zones in Senegal and 21 exotic accessions was assessed through 33 microsatellite markers. All the markers gave amplifications at the expected band size. Only one microsatellite marker, JCT17, was polymorphic showing 3 alleles and allows distinguishing 2 accessions from Burkina Faso. The surprisingly low level of genetic variation might be because introduction of J. curcas in Senegal seems to have been done from one or a few origins and the species has not regained genetic diversity since then due to vegetative propagation. Cultivation of J. curcas at large scale may face to vulnerability to pests and require many cautions. They are necessity to widen the genetic base of J. curcas in Senegal via new introductions from its centre of origin.