Use and variation of Pandanus tectorius Parkinson (P. fascicularis Lam.) along the coastline of Orissa, India

Pandanus tectorius Parkinson ( P. fascicularis Lam.) of the family Pandanaceae constitutes one of the major bioresources of Ganjam coast, Orissa; used mainly in small scale perfume industry for aromatic compound extracted from the male inflorescences. In order to establish genetic diversity, if any related to perfume yield, samples of P. tectorius representing male populations from seven locations representing populations I–VII along the coastline of Orissa, India, were analysed for somatic chromosome number, 4C genomic DNA content, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) as well as phytochemicals. The somatic chromosome number in all the populations I–VII was 2 n = 60. The chromosomes were of minute size without showing any remarkable structural variation. Like wise the average 4C DNA content was 5.09 pg (≅4,912 Mbp) that showed no intra- or inter-population differences. Out of 54 decamer primers tested, a total of 1,260 amplicons were obtained from 34 primers accounting 43.49% polymorphism. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the seven populations revealed two distinct branches, with populations II and III in one and the rest populations in the other branch of the phylogenetic tree. It was important to note that the unique populations II and III confined to the Ganjam coast of Orissa having RAPD markers: OPA 09–940 bp, OPA 09–705 bp, OPC 14–1,500 bp, OPC 14–700 bp, OPC 20–1,475 bp, OPC 20–1,350 bp, OPC 20–920 bp and OPC 20–700 bp, were distinguished form the rest of the populations. The aforesaid populations (II and III) are well known to produce aroma of high quality and yield, composed of primarily phenyl ethyl methyl ether (66.8–83%) and terpinen-4-ol (5–12%) along with a number of other phyto-chemical compounds that support the flourishing perfume industry and livelihood of the local people in the region. The findings underscored the possible role of local eco-geography in contributing to the micro-evolution of unique high perfume yielding genotypes of P. tectorius that represented populations II and III at Ganjam coast, which were genetically distinct from the rest of the populations revealed by RAPD analysis.