Genetic variability in predatory stink bug Andrallus spinidens (F.) from north-west Himalaya Bhojendra*, Maurya Ravi Prakash, Brijwal Latika, Patwal Himanshu, Suyal Parul Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, 263145, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand *Email: patelbhojendra95@gmail.com (corresponding author)
Online published on 24 September, 2020. Abstract Present study deliberates on the geographical distribution and genetic variability of the predatory stink bug Andrallus spinidens (F.) from different crop ecosystems of north west Himalaya. Andrallus spinidens is an important biological control agent as it predates on lepidopteran larvae. Samples of this bug were collected from five locations of plains and hilly areas of Uttarakhand and subjected to RAPD-PCR analysis. The results revealed that of the 12 RAPD primers evaluated 10 primers generated 117 loci with 0.26 polymorphism information content (PIC), 2.75 marker index (MI), 4.67 resolving power (RP). RAPD primer, EF4 was found to be efficient in deciphering the variability with maximum RP values of 7.71 with 4.37 MI and 0.39 PIC values. The samples were found clustered locationwise with 0.26–0.95 similarity coefficient during cluster analysis using UPGMA method. The pairwise comparison analysis (PCA) also supported the clustering pattern obtained. The results reveal that genetically distant populations of A. spinidens prevail in all the five locations studied. Top Keywords Andrallus spinidens, Himalaya, Distribution, Genetic variability, Polymorphism, RAPD-PCR, Primers, Resolving power, Cluster analysis. Top |