The genetic relationships among six species of Dalbergia (D. sissoo, D. latifolia, D. volubilis, D. rubiginosa, D. paniculata and D. lanceolaria) with twelve accessions were assessed using RAPD and ISSR markers. Fourteen RAPD and thirteen ISSR primers were used for estimation of genomic variability among the species and accessions studied. High degree of polymorphism was observed with most of the primers used. All the species and accessions were related to each other with an average similarity of 0.49. Highest similarity (0.93) was observed between two accessions of Dalbergia volubilis (DV1 and DV2) and lowest (0.34) between Dalbergia rubiginosa (DR) and Dalbergia volubilis (DV3). The genetic closeness of D. latifolia, D. sissoo and D. rubiginosa was observed which is in partial agreement with the infra-generic classification of the genus Dalbergia proposed by Baker (1876), who placed all the three species under the sub-genus Sissoa. However, the genetic similarity observed between D. volubilis and D. latifolia, belonging to two separate subgenera on the basis of molecular studies, could not be explained. In order to derive phylogenetic relationships among different species of the genus Dalbergia, more number of representative species and additional molecular markers need to be studied.

Keywords : Molecular phylogeny, RAPD, ISSR, Dalbergia.