A STUDY ON RAPD FINGERPRINTINGS OF WILD MOUNTAIN GINSENG (PANAX GINSENG)

AIM: To analyse the genetic characteristics of wild ginseng. METHODS: The genetic diversity level of wild ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer) was confirmed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Seven wild ginsengs, collected from different sites, with one garden ginseng were used in the study. RESULTS and CONCLUSION: From the fourteen 10-mer oligonucleotide primers 111 sites were detected, of which 76 (67.6%) were polymorghic. The level of genetic variation in wild ginseng was much higher than that in garden ginseng. Therefore, wild ginseng was a very precious material in breeding. According to the pairwise distances of all samples, one conclusion could be drawn that the evironment factor plays more important role than genetic factor in morphological change of wild ginseng which offers an evidence that even garden ginseng seed can develop to wild ginseng if it is planted in the mountains. Cluster analysis showed that the genetic variations among P.ginsengs were smaller than that between P.ginsengs and P.quinquefolius.