Development of SSRs and its application in genetic diversity study of Indian population of Sesamia inferens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

Pink stem borer (PSB) has become the major pest of cereals in India and other parts of the Asia. The wide geographic distribution and broad host range of PSB is likely to result in high genetic variability within the species. To understand this in better way we have identified six polymorphic SSRs out of 64 SSRs developed from 497 genomic DNA sequences available in NCBI database. These six SSRs were able to show the genetic difference among the Sesamia inferens population with respect to their host preference. The result of UPGMA dendrogram and Principal component analysis by using jaccards similarity coefficient data, different populations of S. inferens were clustered according to host. These results suggest a low level of inter-population gene flow in pairwise populations from sorghum, sugarcane, maize and rice fields in India. Such levels of differentiation among populations may indicate only a moderate dispersal capacity of S. inferens, even when no remarkable geographic barriers exist. For an effective management of this pest in the future, there is urgent need for a better understanding of the gene flow of sympatric S. inferens populations associated with different host plants within its distribution range.