In this genetic study focusing on Kerala’s west coast, particularly the southern region with diverse demographics and fluctuating salinity, we utilized random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecular markers to assess the genetic variation of the plant species Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, which is facing habitat loss in the region. The ISSR marker demonstrated a higher degree of polymorphism (13.6%) compared with RAPD (3.5%). The polymorphic information content averaged 0.484 for ISSR and 0.354 for RAPD. The B. gymnorrhiza samples from Alappuzha and Thrissur clustered together in both markers. Nei’s genetic diversity index (h) was determined to be 0.430 for RAPD and 0.453 for ISSR. The unweighted pair group with the arithmetic mean dendrogram, reflecting a greater degree of polymorphism, supports the conservation of B. gymnorrhiza throughout Kerala’s west coast. Additionally, the marker index was calculated as 0.506 for ISSR and 0.392 for RAPD, highlighting the efficacy of ISSR markers in assessing the genetic diversity of B. gymnorrhiza.
Key words: Genetic diversity, Environmental sustainability, Mangrove conservation, Molecular markers, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza
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