Abstract
Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA from 20 populations of Diplocyclos palmatus (L.) C. Jeffrey belonging to five different geographical locations (Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu) of India were sequenced. Analysis of nucleotide sequences reveals polymorphism among the populations [π = 0.01482, θw = 0.01180 (0.00236) and total variance 3.260]. AMOVA was used to partition the genetic diversity and tested whether there is any hierarchy of ITS sequence variation among individuals. The genetic differentiation between the populations is high (ΦST = 0.591). The maximum likelihood tree reveals the evolution of D. palmatus under reproductive isolation and under different environmental conditions which may be most probably due to long distance distribution, and possibility of genetic exchange among the populations of D.palmatus distributed in Bihar and Jharkhnad.Key words: Diplocyclos palmatus (L.) C. Jeffrey, genetic diversity, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), nrDNA.