This study estimates the genetic relationship among Ensete superbum (Cliff Banana) growing in the diverse natural habitats using RAPD technique. Cliff Banana is a rare medicinal plant endemic to the Western Ghats and the north eastern hills of India naturally distributed on moist rocky cliffs and rocky outcrops. Unlike other banana species, E. superbum does not produce suckers. The molecular markers technique- RAPD could help in identification and selection of wild banana accessions for in situ conservation purpose. Future plant improvement in Ensete, by the use of either conventional plant breeding or modern biotechnological techniques, requires reliable and reproducible methods that can differentiate among genotypes and estimate their genetic relatedness. RAPD was used to characterize 4 individual plants of E. superbum collected from different sites in India.
Figure shows typical level of polymorphisms observed among the E. superbum accessions (M.1.0 kb DNA ladder; 1-4)