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Morphological and genetic diversity of Momordica cochinchinenesis (Cucurbitaceae) in Vietnam and Thailand

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Abstract

Momordica cochinchinensis (Cucurbitaceae) is native to South East Asia and is important for its nutritional and medicinal properties. There is little information available on morphological and genetic diversity, crop selection and strategic germplasm collection for M. cochinchinensis. In this study, 42 accessions of M. cochinchinensis collected from Vietnam, Thailand and Australia were analysed for diversity study both at a morphological and molecular level. Both morphological and molecular analyses were in agreement and clustered the accessions based on the country of origin. The markers investigated in this study could be used for future applications with samples from unknown origins or for gene tracking for important cultivars. The Momordica accessions were highly polymorphic based on the markers suggesting high genetic diversity. Therefore the results from this study will be important in future strategic germplasm collection, conservation, horticultural development and commercial propagation of M. cochinchinensis.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the support from Thu Nga Nguyen and Huong Nguyen in Hanoi University of Agriculture for collection assistance, Duc Nguyen (Hanoi University of Agriculture) for access and use of lab facilities, Cuong Nguyen (Hanoi University of Agriculture) for agronomy advice, Nonnipa Labbunruang and Wanisika Phadungsii (Tammasat University), Professor Nhut Duong (Tay Nguyen Institute of Biology), Richard McPherson for collection assistance, Rattanapong Charntawong (Thailand gac farm) and Thuy Nguyen for collection assistance. Dr Sophie Parks (NSW Department of Primary Industries, Australia) and Professor Minh Nguyen (University of Newcastle) for providing M. cochinchinensis leaves. We thank RMIT University for the travel Grant for Tien Huynh enabling her to collect samples used in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Applied Sciences (Biotechnology), RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, 3083, Australia

    Dilani Wimalasiri & Tien Huynh

  2. School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, 3083, Australia

    Terrence Piva

  3. School of Applied Sciences, Health Innovations Research Institute (HIRi), RMIT University, GPO Box 2476V, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia

    Sylvia Urban

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  1. Dilani Wimalasiri
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  2. Terrence Piva
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  3. Sylvia Urban
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  4. Tien Huynh
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Correspondence to Tien Huynh.

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Wimalasiri, D., Piva, T., Urban, S. et al. Morphological and genetic diversity of Momordica cochinchinenesis (Cucurbitaceae) in Vietnam and Thailand. Genet Resour Crop Evol 63, 19–33 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-015-0232-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-015-0232-8

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